Foreign Policy 101. Required reading for citizens of all ages. Really well explained, including influence of the Declaration upon its 250th anniversary. Thanks!
Thank you for the detailed explanation and the book recommendation. Soft power is more encompassing than I realized. China joining the soft power game in Africa the last decade or so has made me sit up and notice.
Thank you for your intelligent and perceptive views on American power in history. We are in a time of disruptive changes and it helps to remember where we came from to get where we are.
Soft power operates through attraction rather than coercion, making it distinct from merely acting as a responsible superpower. While responsible behavior can bolster a nation’s appeal, soft power is specifically about shaping global preferences through culture, values, and diplomacy. The Cold War saw both the U.S. and USSR actively engage in cultural influence efforts—not just as countermeasures but as integral parts of their ideological competition.
Seeing soft power as purely manipulative overlooks its foundation in genuine appeal. Cultural diplomacy, from American exhibitions in Moscow to Soviet showcases in the U.S., was about projecting ideological strengths, not trickery. While strategic, soft power is effective when a nation’s values and culture resonate authentically with others.
Quite the opposite, I think. We were already losing our reputation around the world but now, well we are losing everything--respect, trustworthiness, friendship, dependability, etc. I can't believe I lived to see this happen.
Foreign Policy 101. Required reading for citizens of all ages. Really well explained, including influence of the Declaration upon its 250th anniversary. Thanks!
Thank you! I appreciate it!
Thank you for the detailed explanation and the book recommendation. Soft power is more encompassing than I realized. China joining the soft power game in Africa the last decade or so has made me sit up and notice.
Thank you for your intelligent and perceptive views on American power in history. We are in a time of disruptive changes and it helps to remember where we came from to get where we are.
Soft power operates through attraction rather than coercion, making it distinct from merely acting as a responsible superpower. While responsible behavior can bolster a nation’s appeal, soft power is specifically about shaping global preferences through culture, values, and diplomacy. The Cold War saw both the U.S. and USSR actively engage in cultural influence efforts—not just as countermeasures but as integral parts of their ideological competition.
Seeing soft power as purely manipulative overlooks its foundation in genuine appeal. Cultural diplomacy, from American exhibitions in Moscow to Soviet showcases in the U.S., was about projecting ideological strengths, not trickery. While strategic, soft power is effective when a nation’s values and culture resonate authentically with others.
I shall attempt to send this to the White House as we currently are NOT using Soft Power!
Quite the opposite, I think. We were already losing our reputation around the world but now, well we are losing everything--respect, trustworthiness, friendship, dependability, etc. I can't believe I lived to see this happen.
Agreed
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