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All 11 Flashcards — Soft power
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Question
What is soft power?
Answer
Getting others to want what you want, through attraction — not force or payment.
Question
Where does soft power come from?
Answer
Culture (films, music, food, sport), values (like democracy) and a foreign policy others admire.
Question
How is soft power different from hard power?
Answer
Soft power attracts (pulls) so others want the same outcome; hard power coerces (pushes) by changing costs.
Question
What is Hallyu?
Answer
The 'Korean Wave' — the global spread of Korean pop culture (K-pop, K-dramas, film).
Question
Why is Hallyu a good example of soft power?
Answer
K-pop, K-dramas and film made the world admire South Korea, boosting its tourism, exports and standing.
Question
What is co-optive power?
Answer
Getting others to want the same outcomes as you — the way soft power works.
Question
What are the strengths of soft power?
Answer
It is cheap, builds lasting goodwill, wins hearts not just compliance, and boosts trade, tourism and standing.
Question
What are the limits of soft power?
Answer
It is slow, hard to control or measure, undermined by bad behaviour, and cannot stop force on its own.
Question
Does soft power 'push' or 'pull'?
Answer
It pulls — attraction draws others to want what you want, unlike hard power which pushes.
Question
What is 'smart power'?
Answer
Combining hard power (coercion) and soft power (attraction) wisely to suit the situation.
Question
Can soft power stop an invasion?
Answer
No — on its own it cannot stop force; that is why it works best alongside hard power.
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Topic 1.3 hub
Power
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