The Future of Power

I have read a book a day for several decades, and consequently it has been my subjective experience that about one out of every 100 books is a gem, an absolutely wonderful gift to the reader. This book is that gem, and one simply has to read it with an open mind to gain an understanding of how the world works. Regardless of what side of the political fence you find yourself on, the left or the right, you will find The Future of Power to be INTENSE, PROVOCATIVE, and NECESSARY.One can choose to maintain their preconceived notions about power, but after reading this book, it becomes clear that such people will be swept aside by the future that Nye describes so clearly. Your understanding of power will never be the same. We are at an inflection point in world history, and our traditional understanding of extrapolating the past into the future will not be a guide for what is coming next, but this book will be such a guide. If I had to use single words to describe what is in this book, I would say:* Original* Brilliant* Readable* Clear* Pragmatic* Lucid* Sweeping* Influential* SeminalNye comes to us with extraordinary credentials. The fact that he was Dean of the Harvard School of Government (JFK School) for several years, I do not hold against him. His work in government including high positions at the National Security Council, National Intelligence Council, and the Defense Department have allowed him both influence, and the ability to evolve on a real world basis.ORGANIZATION OF THE BOOKThe book is divided into 7 chapters spread over 235 pages divided into three parts:Part I Types of PowerPart II Power Shifts - Diffusions and TransitionsPart III PolicyOf the 7 chapters, I found four to be so original that they are completely unique, and Nye's understanding or framework as to how the world works is not to be missed. They are:Chapter 2) Military PowerChapter 3) Economic PowerChapter 4) Soft PowerChapter 6) Power Transition: The Question of America's DeclineWHAT NYE IS TELLING US?Nye is telling us what the future holds, we merely have to grasp onto it, and absorb it. This book is in the same league and influence, as Carroll Quigley's Tragedy and Hope. Quigley, the Georgetown University master historian who influenced Bill Clinton and his thinking more than any other scholar in Clinton's career.Nye believes that those who think America is in a serious state of decline are mistaken because the traditional tools used to measure such a statement are no longer applicable. Power is no longer measured in nuclear missiles, military forces, or pounds of steel produced by an industrial economy. Power as Nye defines it now has to do with soft power, smart power, influence, persuasion and trust. Smart Power is a combination of the hard power of coercion and partly with the soft power of persuasion.Joseph Stalin the Soviet dictator once asked how many divisions does the Pope have? Fifty years later, Russia and Stalin are relegated to the ash heaps of history and the Pope survives. The Defense Department spends $650 billion per year on Hard Power while the State Department spends $36 billion per year on Soft Power. David Hume the 18th century philosopher once said that "No human is strong enough to dominate all others acting alone". Today we can say the same thing about countries. India two centuries ago with 300 million was dominated by 100,000 British soldiers. In the 1800's France conquered Algeria with 34,000 troops. In the 20th century 600,000 members of the French Foreign Legion could not hold Algeria together.We must no longer measure power in resources, or units of production. We must begin to measure it in terms of preferred outcomes. Our country represents only 5% of the world's population but 25% of the world's production. We shall probably maintain our position versus the world for the rest of this century, but only if we learn to understand the new dimensions of Power and how to evolve with them. This book unlike any other will begin to show us how, if we want to.IS NYE OPTIMISTIC ABOUT AMERICA?There have been 9 world wars since 1500, and what Nye is looking for now is the reemergence of China as a world power which it once was from 500 AD to 1500 AD before declining in the face of Western power from 1500 AD to this century. What Nye so wisely points out is that an economy equal in total size to ours does not mean EQUALITY.America does not have to lose power, hard or soft. In fact the rest of the world is years behind our hard power. By ourselves we represent 45% of the entire world's defense expenditures - too much by any standard.It is time to dramatically increase our soft power expenditures, to continue to maintain our edge, and perhaps expand upon it. As China continues to grow, they will have to consume themselves with the more than 1 billion have-nots in their society. They have over a billion people with less than 85 million doing well. There is no health care to speak of, and all of this has to change and be factored into what will happen to their economy and nobody, certainly not American economists are getting it right.CONCLUSION:This book demands to be read, and analyzed, and thought over. Nye is perhaps unique in his understanding of power. To read this book is to be transformed, and enlightened, and certainly to see things differently than you thought they were. I loved it and believe you will too, and thank you for reading this review.Richard Stoyeck

The US has, since WWII, been the most powerful and influential country in the world. Following the collapse of the Communist system in 1990 it is the sole super power. Nonetheless, there have been limits to the extension of American power. The most obvious example is the defeat in Vietnam. More recently, in response to the terrorist attacks on 9/11, the US has become engaged in new wars of occupation in Afghanistan and Iraq. And the prognosis of those state building projects remains uncertain today.Joseph S. Nye Jr. has provided a new book, The Future of Power, to assess American power and consider the future of America's reach. In some ways this book is an example par excellence of realpolitik. He offers a reasoned approach to assessing the limits of power and provides a methodology, which he terms `smart power,' as a strategy for the successful extension of American influence in the world. He explains that, while the US remains the dominate military power by far, it cannot successfully impose its will on the world order through military might alone. This is, as far as it goes, a rational critique of US policy and its continued reliance upon projected military strength. Indeed the US cannot afford the expense of maintaining military dominance and policing the world. So the author suggests a mix of soft and hard power that are measured against a prioritized list of goals in order to achieve the maximum influence possible. This is the essence of smart power. His advice would certainly be useful, if it were taken to heart by the many old cold-warriors who lead government policy. So from this perspective I think that The Future of Power is a worthy book.However, in the long run not even smart power will be adequate. The US is losing ground economically in the world economy. Consequently, it will not be capable of maintaining its decisive lead in military prowess. Hence, the reliance on soft power will become ever more important. Why not recognize the trend and stand down earlier on the foolish race to maintain military dominance? In any case shouldn't one question the basic premise of Mr. Nye's book? Why is it important that the US maintain the maximum influence possible within the global community? The author never considers calling this unspoken premise into question. Surely there is a moral dilemma here. Hence, I recommend a more radical perspective on the issue of American power, such as that presented by Andrew J. Bacevich in his excellent book, Washington Rules.David HillstromAuthor of The Bridge

"The Future of Power" is really "the future of American global power". Joseph Nye expands upon his Foreign Affairs essay (see November/December 2010 issue) to make a case for the use of smart power in U.S. foreign relations. Smart power is the ability to combine hard and soft power into a winning strategy. Thus, Nye recommends using a balanced combination of sticks and carrots in American foreign policy. Military power alone cannot accomplish U.S. foreign policy objectives. However, through the adroit and balanced use of military power, economic power and cultural power the United States will prevail globally. Cyber power is also essential to American foreign policy. Together, these strands make up the "DNA" for successful U.S. diplomacy.

This is a book from a patriot. Basically, Nye is repeating what he has said before in his other books. However, in this book, he casted doubts on the decline of American power in the midst of global power transition. After his famous idea of 'soft power', he coined the term 'smart power' in this book for the 21st century American leaders. I think Nye's use of 'smart power' is to remind the American leaders the importance of balancing resources and commitments intelligently.

Das Buch entsprach genau der Beschreibung, die Lieferung war pünktlich. Gerne wieder.

大変良いものでした。予想以上と思われます。皆さんにもお勧めしたいと思います。

Joseph Nye's timely and informative analysis addresses all the questions one may have asked about the ambiguous term Smart Power and contrasts the various forms of power, whether it is economic power, hard power, or soft power. Smart Power refers to a combination of all the above, with the addition that each is used prudently. In the wake of the 2003 Iraq War, the 2008 Global Recession, and the ubiquitous speculation of so called American decline, Nye presents an analysis of the US strengths and failures, and the policy recommendations for the way forward. Unlike many contemporaries, Nye is careful not to exaggerate the rise of China, taking a broader analysis into the reality that the current rate of Chinese economic growth cannot last indefinitely due to China's internal contradictions and demographics, and that the US is unlikely to be surpassed any time soon as the world's hegemon. Rather, Nye, much like Fareed Zakaria, constructs the emergence of a multipolar world, and although with the US likely to remain at the top for sometime, Nye believes that regardless of the leadership in Washington DC, a more multilateral approach to world affairs will come about. This is much a book about the present and the forms of power as it is a divination project into the future of power. Nye explains the limits of economic power, such as the ineffectiveness of sanctions, the limited power of economic weapons as powerful as oil, and how the 1973 Arab Oil Embargo could not have lasted much longer, due to Arab dependence on Western Markets, and US Security Guarantees. Soft Power is an altogether different concept, relying on the cultural and ideological attractiveness of a nation and its behaviour. This takes many forms, ranging from the attractiveness of a country to foreign students, the popularity of its cultural exports, or the reception of its hosting of major events, such as the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Nye cautions that the imprudent use of hard power, such as the 2003 Iraq War, and incidents such as Abu Ghraib and the ongoing prison at Guantanamo Bay have been detrimental to American soft power, and has had an adverse affect on the psychological dimension of warfare, serving as a means of terrorist recruitment. To students of political science and international relations, Joseph Nye is a familiar name, and this latest volume is a welcome addition to the reading lists of political and current affairs enthusiasts, both old and new. Nye's book is a much needed update to international relations theory that is essential reading, regardless of however acquainted one is with the global system.

Not a stuffy academic, book which makes it far more pleasant to read than it could have been, though Nye's work both benefits and suffers from his frequent use of examples to illustrate his points. At some points ruining the flow of his argument, nevertheless this gives the book a nicely weighted feeling.

If the “Politics Among Nations” by the well respected professor Morgenthau is the Bible on Realism, "The Future of Power" by Professor Joseph S. Nye Jr. is the New International Version of the Bible on Power.