What is soft power?

Soft power is the concept famously used by Joseph Nye to describe the ability to achieve desired outcome by attracting and co-opting rather than coercing other agents. In Nye's definition, soft power of a state stems from its cultural appeal, political values, and foreign policies. In contrast, hard power consists in using military and economic resources to affect other agents' behaviour. For example, UK's power might be said to rest not only upon nuclear weapons or strong economy (hard power), but also upon its widespread languge, its culture and democratic institutions (soft power).