Reviving global trust will take more than just new policies—it will require restoring institutions that won’t easily be rebuilt
Seongeun Lee
The United States has long been regarded as the world’s leading soft power. During the Cold War, the global appeal of American popular culture served as powerful tools of influence and propaganda.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, American democracy and capitalism emerged as the dominant political and economic models, further legitimizing Washington’s global influence.
Today, Hollywood blockbusters fill theaters worldwide, American music resonates across borders and US universities attract top students from around the globe. Yet this once-unquestioned dominance now shows signs of erosion.
Recent indicators reveal a sharp decline in global favorability toward the United States, and the very institutions that once underpinned its soft power are beginning to weaken.
Soft power refers to a nation’s ability to influence others without relying on military force or economic coercion. Whereas coercion and payment seek to alter behavior through force or incentives, soft power works by shaping the preferences of others.
For the United States, its economic prosperity, cultural appeal and world-class universities have long drawn admiration worldwide. Equally important are the democratic values and human rights it promotes, as well as its foreign assistance programs that reinforce America’s moral authority.
Together, these elements have formed the foundation of US leadership, providing legitimacy to its influence on the global stage.
American soft power, however, has never been static. Although the United States has generally maintained strong influence, its soft power has fluctuated in response to shifts in foreign policy. In particular, when US actions were perceived by the international community as unilateral or illegitimate, America’s soft power suffered.
The Vietnam War was widely condemned and undermined America’s moral authority. The 2003 invasion of Iraq, launched without broad international support, damaged US legitimacy abroad.
More recently, the US withdrawal from multilateral agreements such as the Paris Agreement eroded trust in Washington’s reliability. In each of these cases, however, American soft power eventually rebounded as policies changed and perceptions evolved.
The present moment, however, poses a different kind of challenge. The scale of disruption under President Trump’s second term is unprecedented. He began by freezing foreign aid for 90 days before dismantling the US Agency for International Development (USAID), cutting off programs that had long symbolized America’s commitment to global development.
No comments:
Post a Comment