Soft Power Is Bullshit! How Shared Interests, Not Values, Shape International Relations

Since its introduction in 1990, the Soft Power paradigm impacted how states secure their interests and obtain their foreign policy goals. In this article, we assert that the world is undergoing a process of profound structural change that will culminate in a modern-day Triumvirate as global power will be held by three giants—China, India, and the USA. In such a world, the relative power of individual states will diminish, leading to new forms of collective bargaining, which we term Strategic Alliances. Collectively, Alliance members may alter the behavior of a Giant. To introduce the theoretical foundations of Strategic Alliances, we use the case studies of the Abraham Accords and China-Pakistan ties. Key to our work is the realization that the Soft Power paradigm can no longer account for how states obtain foreign policy goals. In a world of Giants, the role of norms and values is being supplanted by shared interests and shared threats, while states with opposing sets of ideals are joining to secure their interests. The concept of Strategic Alliances can help policymakers understand and navigate this new world. Specifically, policymakers can seek to position their state as a beneficial member of different Strategic Alliances.