Hard Power - History

History

While the existence of hard power has a long history, the term itself arose when Joseph Nye coined soft power as a new and different form of power in a sovereign state's foreign policy.

Hard power lies at the command Hegemon end of the spectrum of behaviors and describes a nation's ability to coerce or induce another nation to perform a course of action. This can be done through military power which consists of coercive diplomacy, war, and alliance using threats and force with the aim of coercion, deterrence, and protection. Alternatively economic power which relies on aid, bribes and economic sanctions can be used in order to induce and coerce.

While the term hard power generally refers to diplomacy, it can also be used to describe forms of negotiation which involve pressure or threats as leverage.

Read more about this topic:  Hard Power

Famous quotes containing the word history:

    “Free from public debt, at peace with all the world, and with no complicated interests to consult in our intercourse with foreign powers, the present may be hailed as the epoch in our history the most favorable for the settlement of those principles in our domestic policy which shall be best calculated to give stability to our Republic and secure the blessings of freedom to our citizens.”
    —Andrew Jackson (1767–1845)

    “Man watches his history on the screen with apathy and an occasional passing flicker of horror or indignation.”
    —Conor Cruise O’Brien (b. 1917)

    “Psychology keeps trying to vindicate human nature. History keeps undermining the effort.”
    —Mason Cooley (b. 1927)