The Role of Hard and Soft Power in International Relations and the Importance of Cooperation in the United Nations

International relations
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Response one: The role of hard and soft power in two-level games
Hard power refers to the coercive power which is welded through threats and
inducements. It is based on military economic sanction, coercive diplomacy, and interventions. It
actually relies on a tangible form of power from armed forces1. On the other hand, soft power is
that the capacity to persuade other people just to do what you need them to do. This kind of
power is based on emulation and attraction with intangible power2. It comes from culture,
institutions, and ideology3. The role of soft power is to change one’s attitude in a certain manner
that one would act voluntarily. The role of this type of power is to bring freedom of decision
making, especially in small states. In soft power, attitudes towards the away people usually
behave are enhanced. Through the application of soft power mechanism, the individual will feel
having rights to exercise their freedom. Soft power anticipates for the mediation and persuasion
of the party involved. It is based on the adoption of some strategic principles and cultural
reference. The ideology applied to this type of power initiates leadership values. The role of
hard power is to put the economic status of other nations under pressure through the use of large
1 Shepherd, Laura J. "Power and authority in the production of United Nations Security Council
Resolution 1325." International Studies Quarterly 52, no. 2 (2008): 383-404.
2 Malone, David, ed. The UN Security Council: from the Cold War to the 21st century. Lynne
Rienner Publishers, 2004.
3 Williams Jr, Robert E., and Paul R. Viotti. Arms Control: History, Theory, and Policy [2
volumes]: History, Theory, and Policy. ABC-CLIO, 2012.