There are three types of powers in the Modern World, and these are Smart power, Hard power and Soft power. Hard power of a nation means the capabilities and use of military and economic might to influence the will of other states through coercion. So, understanding hard and soft power is essential to know global politics.
While Soft power is the persuasive ability of a nation with the help of developmental or cultural means to influence the decisions of others to advance national interests.
Hard power is such a type of power that mostly relies on coercive means instead of persuasive. Military weapons, economic and other sanctions are examples of hard powers.
Understanding of hard and soft power in current world
Power is the most effective and powerful instrument in the hands of sovereign states. It empowers states to influence or affects the decisions or will of others to get more in favour of them.
At the same time, we know that the influencing capabilities depends on the nature of power that has been drastically changed over time and space.
Hard power – military weapons and economic sanctions
Usually, there are three types of powers in the Modern World, and these are Hard, soft, and Smart power.
Hard power is more coercive than persuasive soft and smart. It includes military, as well as economic capacity of any nation.
Meaning and definition of “Hard power”
Hard power of a nation means the capabilities and use of military and economic might to influence the will of other states through coercion.
In other words, when a powerful nation uses it’s military and economic strength against other nations to influence their decisions, it is termed as “Hard power” of that nation.
Hard power examples
The development of powerful weapons such as nuclear weapons, fighter aircrafts, submarines, aircraft carriers, and high tech state-of-arts radar detectors, are parts of hard power.
Apart from this, “Economic might” includes trade, economic sanctions,tariffs, barriers, etc.
Generally, Hard power is often used as a last resort when all other means fails to make any impact. In the simple words, it is used for forceful persuasion in favour user. Military actions, economic sanctions, tariffs, etc. are the examples of hard powers.
Relevancy of hard power in the present world
Nowadays, its use is rare because of the effective role of international organisations and presence of other global actors.
Explaining nature of soft power
Everyone is fond of powers not to exhibit but to influence others to get advantage. In the today’s globalizing world, nations are more sensitive than earlier.
Hence, coercion is replaced by persuasion. So, now, the big actors are more focusing on soft power instead of hard coercive. For this, I’m going to explain the importance of soft power.
Soft power – cultural and money diplomacy
Unlike hard power, soft power is more persuasive rather than coercive. It doesn’t involve active but passive influence.
Meaning and definition of soft power
Soft power is the persuasive ability of a nation with the help of developmental or cultural means to influence the decisions of others to advance national interests.
Generally, it depends on the nation in question whether to receive the aid, assistance or not. Soft power cannot be compulsion but voluntary.
Useful examples of soft power
1.Trade concessions for market access for developing or other nations.
2.Economic aid or grant for cash crunched states.
3.Technological help or assistance.
Developmental and expertise cooperation.
4.Others, like Media, language and many more cultural things.
5.such power looks invisible, but it exerts greater influence than hard power. It takes longer duration to bear results.
Use and importance of soft power
Understandably, soft power is often used to cultivate fertile ground to advance the interests of nation. In the age of democratization, its importance is more than hard power to safeguard national interests.
First, we have witnessed the recent clamour over the “China’s Dollar diplomacy” in the resource rich but poor nations. It is argued that by using money, China is influencing the poor nations to advance its interests.
Second, the involvement of missionaries in the tribal areas of world to help them with medical and educational services is the best epitome of soft power. Indian efforts to popularize yoga in the world as a means to improve health is another example of soft power.
Third, grant-in-aid by developed nations can be termed as soft power as it has huge impacts on the mentality of poor states.
This is all about the understanding hard and soft power.
Currency crisis and currency war
Currency market and convertibility
Accommodation and acculturation