The Death Of Joseph Nye — And Trump’s Attempt To Kill American “Soft Power”

-Analysis-

PARIS — Sometimes, a thinker finds the words to describe a phenomenon unfolding before our eyes — that was the case with Joseph Nye, who coined the term “soft power” in the late 1980s to describe how a state could exert influence without relying on economic or military force.

To clarify the concept, he often said that a psychopath might be able to kill or terrorize people but not to charm or persuade them. That’s the difference between “hard” and “soft” power — between brute force, especially military, and gentle influence.

Nye died this week at 88, after a lifetime split between government service and academia. He was a revered professor at Harvard, where he led the Kennedy School that trained thousands of American and international public leaders. He remained a respected voice in international relations until the end.

He leaves us at a time when his concept has receded in favor of hard power — with U.S. President Donald Trump delivering the final blow by betting everything on coercion.

The most vivid symbol of soft power is Hollywood — America’s dream machine — which spread an enviable image of the American way of life across the globe. It’s said that Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev once told President John F. Kennedy that the United States didn’t need propaganda. “Everyone wants to live like in the kitchens and living rooms of American films. Who wants to live like in Soviet films?” quipped the communist leader, not without a sense of humor.

Not just an American concept

The concept isn’t exclusively American, of course. France, with its luxury brands, wines and Parisian landmarks showcased during last year’s Olympics, enjoys clear soft power. Another striking example is Qatar, with its heavy investments in sports — including the Paris Saint-Germain soccer club, which won a major victory this week.

Trump’s background left him ill-equipped to appreciate the value of soft power.

In the 1990s, as China emerged from Maoism, it took an interest in the idea and even invited Nye to speak at conferences on soft power. But despite its assets, it never quite succeeded in harnessing it. That’s because soft power cannot be dictated by the state or an ideology; it arises from society itself — although governments can attempt to use it.

Nye himself evolved his thinking over time, introducing the idea of “sharp power” — a strategy of influence blending elements of both soft and hard power. Today, it’s clear that hard power is back in vogue, especially with Trump, who brandishes tariffs, bombs Yemen and threatens adversaries and allies alike.

Hard power is back

Trump has even sacrificed key instruments of American soft power, cutting foreign aid and dismantling the Voice of America international broadcasting network, which remains influential in authoritarian countries.

In a recent article in the Financial Times, Nye explained that Trump’s background in New York real estate — full of deals and transactions — left him ill-equipped to appreciate the value of soft power. “Narcissists like Trump are not truly realistic — soft power will suffer over the next four years,” Nye wrote.

He was right. In Washington, Beijing and Moscow, the ideas of Carl von Clausewitz and Sun Tzu — the Prussian and Chinese theorists of war — are far more relevant today than Nye’s concept.