Power and Developments GapFill

Power is a fundamental concept in the study of global politics. There are a variety of different types of power used by states to assert their authority and/or influence on the international stage.

The first major type of global power is  hardsoftculturaldiplomatic power, which refers to measurable types of power that states use to assert their authority. A key example of this is  diplomaticmilitaryculturalsoft power: the extent to which a nation state can achieve its aims through sheer physical force. Another example is   diplomaticeconomicculturalsoft power: the overall level of prosperity within a nation state and the extent of its resources. Clear examples of nation states which practise these types of power are the United States and China.

The second major type of global power is  economichardsoftmilitary power, referring to a difficult-to-measure form of power practised indirectly by nation states to influence and persuade. A key example of this is  culturaleconomichardmilitary power, which is reproduced through the media and language. Another example is   militaryeconomicharddiplomatic power: the extent to which a nation state has sufficient resources, allies and capacity to successfully negotiate and argue its case on the world stage. Examples of nation states which practise these types of power are France and the UK, which both have media organisations with global reach, and extensive diplomatic operations.

While the first type of power seeks to coerce or force the international community into positions which a powerful nation state favours, the second type of power seeks to make a powerful nation state as attractive and trustworthy as possible and through this means align the international community with its interests. An important concept is this regard is that of hegemony: clear unchallenged leadership and dominance in global politics. A nation state may assert regional hegemony, making it a  great powersoft powerhard powersuperpower, or it may assert global hegemony, making it a  hard powersuperpowersoft powergreat power.

The structure of the global system is also important to consider when deducing where power lies. A global system with a single superpower is known as  hyperpolarityunipolaritymultipolaritytripolarity. A global system with two superpowers competing for hegemony is known as  tripolarityhyperpolarityunipolaritybipolarity. Finally, a global system with no single powerpower but multiple great powers is referred to as  bipolarityhyperpolaritytripolaritymultipolarity.