26 January 2010
The Weakness of Obama's International Leadership Part 2
Coercion, Consent and the International Power Vacuum
Shortly before becoming President of the US in 1901, Theodore Roosevelt made his famous declaration, “speak softly and carry a big stick”. This expresses an essential element of international relations.
In international relations, effective leadership is only possible when friends and enemies are confident that the leaders are able and willing to act decisively. States with dictatorial and anti-liberal values, different ambitions, aims, pressures and different means at their disposal will only fall into line when it's in their own interests to do so or they have no other viable option. This is the usual mix of consent and coercion. Between close friends, this may more politely be called being cajoled or convinced. Or between less close friends, being bullied and/or bribed.
In short, the use of soft and hard power is an absolute requirement for any functional international order - or any other order, for that matter....
