The future of soft power in US foreign policy

The USA has lost a great deal of its soft power over the past eight years. While this is not true for all areas, public opinion polls show a serious decline in American attractiveness in Europe, Latin America, and most dramatically, across the entire Muslim world. When asked why they report this decline, respondents cite American policies more than American culture or values. In contrast to the arguments made by President George W. Bush, they hate us more for what we do than who we are. The resources that produce soft power for a country include its culture (where it is attractive to others); its values (where they are attractive and not undercut by inconsistent practices) and its policies (where they are seen as inclusive and legitimate in the eyes of others). Since it is easier for a country to change its policies than its culture, this implies the possibility that a future president could choose policies that could help to recover some of the soft power that the Bush administration squandered over the past eight years.