Weapons of Mass Distraction: Soft Power and the Road to American Empire

by Matthew Fraser

"Mao Zedong once warned that American pop cultural products were ‘candy-coated bullets.’ He was wrong on only one Their impact is much more powerful." One recent marketing study found that, around the world, the golden arches are now more widely recognized than is the Christian cross. That’s soft power in action. Hard power refers to military resources. "Soft power," a term originally coined by Harvard professor Joseph Nye, refers to symbolic resources. Soft power is cultural—everything from Madonna songs and Mickey Mouse to BigMacs and Coca Cola.These cultural icons, logos and brands are, says Matthew Fraser,"weapons of mass distraction." This book examines the roll of pop culture in global diplomacy and argues, with well-researched historical evidence, that American global influence has depended on soft power advantages since the First World War, when Hollywood first emerged as an ally of the White House. Included are chapters on movies, television, music, fast food and theme parks. This provocative book is about American power its sources, its influence and the deeply paradoxical reactions it provokes. It analyzes American soft power as a strategic resource in international affairs. Soft Power presents two alternatives for the coming world Will national identities decline as the world order is transformed into a state of "electronic feudalism" where there is no central power? Or will the American empire endure into the 21st century, as we continue to live under a Pax Americana? (October 2003)

Genres: History

288 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

Lives in Paris, former newspaper columnist, editor-in-chief of a national broadsheet, co-host of national television programme. Currently a university professor and butler to a bichon called Hector. Author of five books, most recently In Truth: A History of Lies from Ancient Rome to Modern America.

Reviews

[Clare · Rating 2 out of 5]

America's power isn't only military and economic but cultural. American cultural values through movies, television, pop music, and fast food make up it's soft power. Even though America is dominant in it's hard power if it doesn't concentrate on it's soft power it will lose it's global dominance. This dominance is not absolute already as it is hard to ship some American values to other countries because of the country's history and culture. On the flip side, even other countries have their soft power and infiltrate America with it's own cultural values through the same means and that can serve as the opportunity for the decline of the American empire in the age of information.

[Fin · Rating 1 out of 5]

Spells Muslims as Moslem despite the fact that it was published in 2003.
So anti-French I literally went out to buy a glass of wine to drink while reading it.

[Joe Boudreault · Rating 4 out of 5]

This 2003 book is a documentary on American culture around the world in general, and about the affects of popular culture from America on other cultures. Some countries, and some peoples, believe that American ideals and lifestyles are influencing other places too much because of the rapid transmission of habits and commodities around the world. This is true, but Fraser argues convincingly that it isn't a bad thing. The four major influences of American culture around the world is that which derives from the international corporations of Coca Cola, McDonalds, Hollywood, and the TV industry. In a way, these pervasive industries are so prevalent everywhere in the world at large that they in effect help spread the gospel of American culture and ideals. In fact, the White House uses these commercial operations to help utilize American foreign policy. Fraser subtitles his book Soft Power and American Empire.

The influence of American culture and the wholesaling of American merchandise does indeed influence peoples lives, but they still chose, and as Fraser points out, more people chose to move to America than anywhere else. The finale result is that the American culture so widely spread is a good thing and it reflects that this culture is better in many ways because the American Way has proven to be one of the most open, tolerant, and widely accepted lifestyles in the world. The USA has truly become a soft empire, but is still undoubtedly the world's most influential power to date.