Diplomacy in international relations is sometimes described as soft power, as opposed to the hard power of threatened, or actual war. It has been argued that diplomacy is only relevant, or useful if the country that is exercising it has the power to back up the soft power with the hard. This also means that its value depends upon the standing that any particular country has within the world, and alongside any country that it is having any political relationship with. Global power relationships have a tendency to be fluid and any alterations can impact upon the effectiveness of diplomacy.
Hard power can often be used as a tempter for countries hitherto reluctant, to open up communications and for diplomacy, the softer power, to step in and to make attractive the usual three objectives of foreign policy, values and culture.
Diplomacy is also used as a way for nations to get other countries to bow to their way of thinking when it comes to tackling issues that affect everybody, such as climate change and the HIV epidemic.
Naturally, nobody wants economic sanctions or the threat of war, so diplomacy is vitally important. It is interesting to note that the more China becomes a military power, and, therefore, very capable of exercising its hard power, the more people are participating in cultural exchanges such as learning the language, and studying Chinese cultural expertise such as art, music and architecture. This awakening of cultural knowledge is an important diplomatic tool.
Having the Olympics in Beijing was the perfect opportunity to bring nations together in an overt display of diplomacy, and was effective in bring China to the forefront of the world’s consciousness.
Diplomacy could be seen as being a form of propaganda in as much as it helps to shape notions about particular nations or organisations.
Hard power can often be used as a tempter for countries hitherto reluctant, to open up communications and for diplomacy, the softer power, to step in and to make attractive the usual three objectives of foreign policy, values and culture.
Diplomacy is also used as a way for nations to get other countries to bow to their way of thinking when it comes to tackling issues that affect everybody, such as climate change and the HIV epidemic.
Naturally, nobody wants economic sanctions or the threat of war, so diplomacy is vitally important. It is interesting to note that the more China becomes a military power, and, therefore, very capable of exercising its hard power, the more people are participating in cultural exchanges such as learning the language, and studying Chinese cultural expertise such as art, music and architecture. This awakening of cultural knowledge is an important diplomatic tool.
Having the Olympics in Beijing was the perfect opportunity to bring nations together in an overt display of diplomacy, and was effective in bring China to the forefront of the world’s consciousness.
Diplomacy could be seen as being a form of propaganda in as much as it helps to shape notions about particular nations or organisations.
