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 sole ruling party of the People's Republic of China (PRC). Under the leadership of Mao Zedong, the CCP emerged victorious in the Chinese Civil ...

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, 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 ma ...

, 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.

References

External links

* "From 'Soft Power' to 'Sharp Power': Revisiting the Conceptual Vocabulary."

. 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 Eco ...

'' (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

History

Overview

See also

References

External links