The Role of Soft Power in Politics: from the Ancient Times to the Modern Time
Subject Areas :
1 - Islamic Azad University-Karaj Branch
Keywords: Soft power, hard power, Cultural Values, Cultural Power, Motivational Power,
Abstract :
The present study, firstly, aims at investigating the roots of soft power from the past to the present and secondly, it tries to describe the components of soft power and analyze the major possibilities and limitations of its application. From the ancient times soft power has been considered by many thinkers and governors of China, Greek, Egypt, and Iran. In the past decades, and before the time Josef Nye conceptualizes the soft power, thinkers like Alfered de Grazia, Klaus Knorr and John Kenneth Galbraith determined some forms of power which were similar to soft power and had the same meaning as legality, legitimacy, and democracy; in contrast, in the past, hard power has been associated with force and production ways. The resources for soft power are cultural values, political players, culture and policies of politicians and institutions but in some cases even the military forces – which normally relies on hard power- were able to play the role of soft power and pave the way for dictators like Hitler and Stalin to make use of the possibilities and become successful. Despite the enforcement limitations, soft power in the situation of post-cold war has gained importance and was overshadowed by foreign policies of many countries including America, China, and European Union. The soft power can be measured through public opinion poll, interviewing the political elite, and case studies.
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