Power in the 21st Century

Abstract

Power, the ability to affect the behaviour of others to get what the actor in question wants, is an abstract concept in international relations but one which fundamentally reflects the way in which relations between states takes place. Although some theorists argue that power in primarily the stockpiles of resources that a particular state has access to, this power is untenable unless it undergoes the process of power conversion whereby the use of resources is translated into a change in behaviour. There are three basic ways to manifest power: coercion, payment, and attraction. Hard power is the use of coercion and payment, while soft power is the ability to obtain preferred outcomes through attraction and persuasion. Traditionally, hard power has been the focus of international relations theorists, with structural realists arguing that it is the only form of power that matters in the international system. Liberals, like Joseph S. Nye, contest this conjecture and posit that soft power is inherent in the international system and is gaining increasing prominence as the premier form of power while hard power declines in the 21st Century. This paper looks at the different forms of hard and soft power and the ways in which they manifest themselves in the modern era, and determines that, although hard power is still the salient form of power in the 21st Century, states must undertake a policy of 'smart power' in order to effectively translate resources into lasting influence.