The twenty-first century is witnessing a change in global power structure marked by peaceful rise of China, resurgence of Russia and America’s intent to retain its supremacy. Joseph S. Nye’s book Soft Power and Great Power Competition: Shifting Sands in the Balance of Power between the United States and China provides an in-depth discussion of the role played by soft power in the great power competition. The book is a collection of thirty essays written by Nye during the last three decades which have been arranged in four parts.
First part, “The Role of Soft Power in Global Politics”, comprises six essays. In this part, the author describes origin of the concept of soft power, its limits, and great power shifts in the twenty-first century. While referring to a dictionary definition of power Joseph Nye highlights that “power means an ability to do things and control others, to get others to do what they otherwise would not. Because the ability to control others is associated with possession of certain resources.” Elaborating further, the author quotes the example of agrarian economies of eighteenth-century Europe, where the power source was population, as it provided taxes and people for infantry recruitment. He has emphasised that traditionally, the great powers were defined by their strength displayed in wars. However, factors such as advancement in science and technology, economic growth, education, cultural attractions, and ideology have achieved more prominence compared to traditional factors of power which can influence other countries without using coercive measures. This is called soft power, which is as important as the hard power.
The book’s second part, “The Soft Power in the American Experience”, comprises seven essays. In this section, the author has explained the elements that contributed to the rise and fall of American soft power. Nye argues that the primary factors behind the global dominance of American soft power are American culture, Hollywood, and educational institutes, which attract people from across the globe. However, this American soft power has faced setbacks, which author attributes to American foreign policy (p 70). He quotes attack on Iraq in March 2003 as an example when American policies lost legitimacy and credibility in the eyes of other countries. Germany, in particular, expressed widespread disbelief about reasons the United States gave for going to war, such as alleged connection of Iraq to al Qaeda and imminence of threat of weapons of mass destruction. (p 70). This section also highlights the internal challenges to American soft power, such as increased political polarisation, social unrest, and flawed government policies (p 71).
Third part, “The Rise of Chinese Soft Power”, contains six essays in which Nye argues that the phrase “rise of China” is a misnomer. Referring to it as “re-emergence” would be more appropriate. (p 119) To support his claim, Nye says that China has long been a major power in the Asia-Pacific region due to its territorial size and history. “Technologically and economically, it was the world’s leader (though without global reach) from 500 to 1500. Only in the Past half-millennium was it overtaken by Europe and America.” In this section, the author also discusses China’s efforts to enhance its soft power and present itself as a global leader. The author argues that China launched projects like BRI and established centres like Confucius Institutes worldwide to project its soft power. These initiatives mainly focus on encouraging shared economic development, prioritising cooperation over competition, promoting Chinese culture, and maintaining friendly relations with other countries. However, despite these initiatives, Nye argues that Chinese soft power is impacted by its territorial issues with its neighbouring countries and a lack of cultural industries like Hollywood. The author suggests that China should address these issues to enhance its soft power.
The book’s final part, “US-China Relations and the Role of Soft Power”, comprises eleven essays. It explores how both countries use their soft power to compete internationally for global dominance. Nye argues that “both countries have much to gain by working together. As the largest and second largest economies in the world, US and China have a responsibility to provide such international public goods as financial stability and less carbon-intensive growth”, as the present situation leads to misperceptions. The author says that areas such as educational and cultural exchanges can potentially create trust and understanding. However, geopolitical rivalries and ideological differences could cause tension between the two countries. The author argues that “the US and China should avoid developing exaggerated fears of each other’s capacities and intentions. The expectation of conflict can itself become a cause of conflict.”
To conclude, the book provides a deeper understanding of how competition between America and China can be managed to achieve cooperation by utilising soft power. It also helps the two countries’ policymakers, in structuring bilateral diplomacy, avoiding antagonism and enhancing cooperation through maximising the utilisation of soft power.