Sharp power is the use of
manipulative diplomatic policies by one country to influence and undermine the political system of a target country.
History
The
National Endowment for Democracy
The National Endowment for Democracy (NED) is an organization in the United States that was founded in 1983 for promoting democracy in other countries by promoting political and economic institutions such as political groups, trade unions, ...
(NED) popularised the term "sharp power" (in use since the early-19th century) in November 2017; it appeared in an article in
''Foreign Affairs'' magazine describing aggressive and
subversive
Subversion () refers to a process by which the values and principles of a system in place are contradicted or reversed in an attempt to transform the established social order and its structures of power, authority, hierarchy, and social norms. Sub ...
policies employed by authoritarian governments as a projection of state power in democratic countries, policies that cannot be described as either hard power or soft power. The NED article specifically names the Russian state-funded
RT News Network and the Chinese state-sponsored
Confucius Institute educational partnerships as examples of sharp power. According NED, autocratic states "are not necessarily seeking to "win hearts and minds" (the common frame of reference for soft power efforts}, but they are surely seeking to manipulate their target audiences by distorting the information that reaches them.
Since 2018 the term "sharp power" has been used in news articles, scholarly discussions, and Congressional hearings. Representatives of the
Chinese Communist Party
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP), officially the Communist Party of China (CPC), is the founding and One-party state, sole ruling party of the China, People's Republic of China (PRC). Under the leadership of Mao Zedong, the CCP emerged victoriou ...
have used the phrase, dismissing Western claims that their country has engaged in sharp-power practices.
Overview
Sharp power can include attempts by one country to
manipulate
Manipulation may refer to:
* Manipulation (psychology) - the action of manipulating someone in a clever or unscrupulous way
*Crowd manipulation - use of crowd psychology to direct the behavior of a crowd toward a specific action
::* Internet mani ...
and manage information about itself in the news media and educational systems of another country, for the purpose of misleading or
dividing public opinion in a target country, or for masking or diverting attention away from negative information about itself.
The link between sharp power and authoritarian regime is, as stated Christophe Walker "This approach takes advantage of the asymmetry between free and unfree systems, allowing authoritarian regimes both to limit free expression and to distort political environments in democracies while simultaneously shielding their own domestic public spaces from democratic appeals coming from abroad.” making sharp power easier to use for an authoritarian regime than a democratic one.
Soft power policies can include
student exchanges and the sponsoring of
cultural and sporting events. Sharp power is distinguished from
soft power
In politics (and particularly in international politics), soft power is the ability to co-opt rather than coerce (contrast hard power). In other words, soft power involves shaping the preferences of others through appeal and attraction. A defin ...
, which are attractive policies that project a positive impression of one country and promote greater understanding with another country, ultimately to influence the decisions of another country through persuasion. Sharp power is also distinct from
hard power, which are coercive policies by one country to compel another country into taking action or changing its decisions. Hard power can include
military force
A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. It is typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with its members identifiable by their distinct ...
,
economic sanctions
Economic sanctions are commercial and financial penalties applied by one or more countries against a targeted self-governing state, group, or individual. Economic sanctions are not necessarily imposed because of economic circumstances—they may ...
, and
diplomatic threats.
Sharp power often has a digital element to it. In particular
Chinese exercises in sharp power are carried out almost entirely online.
See also
*
Soft power
In politics (and particularly in international politics), soft power is the ability to co-opt rather than coerce (contrast hard power). In other words, soft power involves shaping the preferences of others through appeal and attraction. A defin ...
*
Hard power
*
Smart power
In international relations, the term smart power refers to the combination of hard power and soft power strategies. It is defined by the Center for Strategic and International Studies as "an approach that underscores the necessity of a strong mil ...
*
Power projection
*
Power (international relations)
In international relations, power is defined in several different ways. Material definitions of state power emphasize economic and military power. Other definitions of power emphasize the ability to structure and constitute the nature of social ...
*
Power (social and political)
In social science and politics, power is the social production of an effect that determines the capacities, actions, beliefs, or conduct of actors. Power does not exclusively refer to the threat or use of force ( coercion) by one actor agains ...
*
Abusive power and control
Abusive power and control (also controlling behavior and coercive control) is behavior used by an abusive person to gain and/or maintain control over another person. Abusers are commonly motivated by devaluation, personal gain, personal gratifi ...
*
Political warfare
Political warfare is the use of political means to compel an opponent to do one's will, based on hostile intent. The term political describes the calculated interaction between a government and a target audience, including another state's govern ...
*
Psychological warfare
Psychological warfare (PSYWAR), or the basic aspects of modern psychological operations (PsyOp), have been known by many other names or terms, including Military Information Support Operations (MISO), Psy Ops, political warfare, "Hearts and Mi ...
and
propaganda
Propaganda is communication that is primarily used to influence or persuade an audience to further an agenda, which may not be objective and may be selectively presenting facts to encourage a particular synthesis or perception, or using loaded ...
*
Active measures
Active measures (russian: активные мероприятия, translit=aktivnye meropriyatiya) is political warfare conducted by the Soviet or Russian government since the 1920s. It includes offensive programs such as espionage, propaganda ...
*
Hostage diplomacy
Hostage diplomacy, also hostage-diplomacy, is the taking of hostages for diplomatic purposes.
Background and overview
The custom of taking hostages was an integral part of foreign relations in the ancient world. This long history of political an ...
References
External links
* "From 'Soft Power' to 'Sharp Power': Revisiting the Conceptual Vocabulary."
National Endowment for Democracy
The National Endowment for Democracy (NED) is an organization in the United States that was founded in 1983 for promoting democracy in other countries by promoting political and economic institutions such as political groups, trade unions, ...
. December 8, 2017. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAmNcLYu-3w
* "Rubio Chairs China Commission Hearing on Beijing's Exporting of Authoritarianism."
Senator Marco Rubio (December 13, 2017). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0H4OuSJVHdQ&t=10m58s
* "Sunlight v subversion: What to do about China’s 'sharp power'." ''
The Economist
''The Economist'' is a British weekly newspaper printed in demitab format and published digitally. It focuses on current affairs, international business, politics, technology, and culture. Based in London, the newspaper is owned by The Econo ...
'' (December 14, 2017). https://www.economist.com/leaders/2017/12/14/what-to-do-about-chinas-sharp-power
* "China's Sharp and Soft Power."
The Stimson Center
The Stimson Center, named after American statesman, lawyer, and politician Henry L. Stimson, is a nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank that aims to enhance international peace and security through analysis and outreach. The center's stated approach ...
(May 31, 2018). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Dx8aBAhaUw&t=29m11s
* "Sharp Power, The Growing Challenge to Democracy."
The Heritage Foundation
The Heritage Foundation (abbreviated to Heritage) is an American conservative think tank based in Washington, D.C. that is primarily geared toward public policy. The foundation took a leading role in the conservative movement during the presiden ...
(June 6, 2018). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yPK_GxxeSU
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sharp Power
Diplomacy
Power (international relations)
International relations terminology
Power (social and political) concepts
Globalization