Hard power

Hard power ( English hard power ) - a form of political power associated with the use of military and / or economic coercion to correct the behavior or interests of other political forces. According to the name, this form of political power is often aggressive, and most effective when the object of power has lesser military or economic strength. ^[one]

The term "hard power" is used in the description of international relations . Usually opposed to the term " soft power ", which implies the voluntary submission of the subject of power and is based on cultural and political values. The term became widely used after Joseph Nye introduced the term “soft power” as a form of sovereign state power in international politics. ^[2]

Military force involves the use of coercive diplomacy, war or threat to coerce, intimidate and defend. Economic strength involves assistance, bribes, and economic sanctions.

The term “hard power” can also be used to describe a negotiation process that uses pressure and threats as leverage.