Soft Power And Hard Power In United States Foreign Policy

Fiza Suziana, Binti Abdullah (2014) Soft Power And Hard Power In United States Foreign Policy. [Final Year Project Report] (Unpublished)

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Abstract

This research paper examines the application of soft power and hard power in the United States Foreign Policy. Soft power can be described as an action or ability that involved persuasion and attraction in order to get what you want. Hard power on the other hand involved a more bully actions like military intervention and economic coercion to gain what you desire. There are two main arguments in this research paper. First, the factors that affect the application of either soft power or hard power in U.S. foreign policies, and second, the rationality of U.S. Presidents in handling the conflicts during their administrations [this paper focus on five presidents; President Nixon, President Kennedy, President Clinton, President Bush and lastly President Obama]. In discussing the concept of Rational Actor Model (RAM), this paper examines that the level of rationality in Presidents will influence their decisions in policy-making process. For example, in the case of Cuban Missile Crisis as argued by Graham Allison in 1968; where he proposed a few options that he believed will help President Kennedy to gain . maximum profit from the conflict with zero cost. At the same time, this paper also argues that President's background (religious conviction, up-bringing, political ideology or belief and et cetera), give prominent distinctions in their foreign policies structures [in the case of Bosnia War policy during Clinton Administration and War on Terror policy during George W. Bush Administration]. This paper concludes by highlighting the importance of President's rationality, behaviour and experience in dealing with conflicts. So that they will be able to recognize which power - soft power or hard power- is 'suitable' to be used as tool in U.S. foreign policy.

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