SOFT POWER….Matt Yglesias talks framing:
Can we retire the term “soft power” already? I always feel that it’s been popularized not so much by Professor Nye as by deranged warmongers who like the idea of terming every alternative to militarism as somehow “soft,” fluffy, and weak. Soft Power is a good book, but it’s a bad coinage for an era in which national security issues have returned as a partisan political topic, and I don’t think it’s an especially great label for what Nye’s talking about.
I agree, but what do we replace it with? “Cultural power” is no good, since it evokes thoughts of cultural imperialism. “Economic power” sounds scary too, and none too apropos anyway considering the economic devastation we’re currently wreaking on the world. Anyway, soft power encompasses lots of things, so any individual term won’t be enough.
I’ve heard “smart power” bandied about, but I doubt that will catch on. Too jargony. “Non-military power” gets to the nub of things, but doesn’t roll off the tongue very well. So what’s a good alternative word that basically means “mostly non-military”? Anybody care to chime in?
UPDATE: In comments, Jon and Matt suggest “civil power.” Dan Drezner suggests “social power.” Matt Yglesias thinks the problem is with “power,” not “soft.” On the other hand, plenty of people in comments think “soft power” is just fine as is.
