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All 11 Flashcards — Hard power
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Question
What is hard power?
Answer
Getting others to do what you want through force or payment — 'sticks and carrots'; coercion, not persuasion.
Question
What are the two tools of hard power?
Answer
Military force (threats, deterrence, war) and economic pressure (sanctions, or aid and money).
Question
What is coercion?
Answer
Making someone act by force or threat — changing the costs of an action rather than what they want.
Question
What are sanctions?
Answer
Blocking trade or money to punish or pressure a state — a tool of economic hard power.
Question
What is deterrence?
Answer
Preventing an act by threatening a costly response — a use of hard power.
Question
How does hard power work?
Answer
By coercion — it changes the costs of an action so a target complies, rather than changing what it wants.
Question
Why is sanctions on Russia (2022) a good example?
Answer
It imposed real economic pain (hard power) but did not quickly force Russia to back down — showing hard power's limits.
Question
What are the strengths of hard power?
Answer
It is direct and immediate, credible, can deter or stop aggression, and imposes real costs.
Question
What are the limits of hard power?
Answer
It is costly, breeds resentment, wins compliance not loyalty, and often fails against a determined target.
Question
Hard power vs soft power?
Answer
Hard power coerces through force and payment; soft power attracts through culture and values.
Question
Is economic pressure hard or soft power?
Answer
Hard power — sanctions and payments are 'sticks and carrots', a way of coercing, not attracting.
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Topic 1.3 hub
Power
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