America in the World: Hard vs. Soft Power

Authors William Kristol and Joseph Nye discussed “America in the World: Hard vs. Soft Power,” in a public lecture in the Cole Assembly Room at Converse Hall at Amherst College. Hard power was the idea that a country’s power came from strong military and diplomatic methods. The concept of soft power, as opposed to hard power, was the idea that a country’s power comes from economic and cultural methods. An example of soft power was the spread of American companies and pop culture throughout the globe. Mr. Kristol talked about the benefits of and necessity for hard power in global politics. Mr. Nye, countered with his assessment that soft power was a necessary element for a successful foreign policy. They discussed the war in Iraq and that country’s reconstruction, the war on terrorism, and American foreign affairs.

Mr. Kristol is the co-author (with Lawrence Kaplan) of The War Over Iraq: Saddam’s Tyranny and America’s Mission. Mr. Nye’s most recent books are [The Paradox of Ameri close