ASEAN-Russia: Foundations and Future Prospects

Soft Power: A Comparison between Britain, France and Russia

313 SOFT POWER: A COMPARISON BETWEEN BRITAIN, FRANCE AND RUSSIA Amy V.R. Lugg INTRODUCTION The concept of “soft power” as defined by leading academic and international relations expert Joseph Nye Jr in 1990 referred specifically to “the ability to get what you want through attraction rather than coercion”.1 According to a recent research proposal from Chatham House in the United Kingdom, “The conventional wisdom is that Russia has no soft power.”2 This might on first reading seem to be an unfair assessment however, when compared to other former Empires such as Britain and France, at face value this does seem a rather accurate statement. This paper aims to examine the implementation of soft power by Britain and France and how Russia can learn from these examples to bolster Russian influence on the global stage. BRITAIN’S SOFT POWER Britain and her use of soft power has largely been the product of her former Empire. Through colonization and expansion, the utilization of English as the lingua franca among the people of the world today is perhaps the most overlooked symbol of soft power, and one which has been highly advantageous to Britain and her standing on the world stage. Long before the term “soft power” was developed as a concept, Britain was conscious of its role and 314 Amy V.R. Lugg influence in the world and the importance of fostering cultural ties and links with the rest of the world. This was highlighted in particular by the formation of the British Committee for Relations with Other Countries, what we now know as the British Council in 1934, whose specific aim was to “improve the understanding of Britain across the world”.3 The strategies and methods in which the British Council has achieved this include: • Arranging for lecturers to be sent overseas • Supporting British institutes and societies and English schools in other countries • Arranging visits for individuals to the UK • Organizing music performances and art exhibitions4 Not limited to only education and cultural cooperation initiatives, The British Council has partnered with other government agencies such as VisitBritain to help promote Britain as a tourist destination. Recent projects include the “Football Unites” scheme, where fans of England and Russia have been brought together through sport and friendships formed. They have been able to pit their skills against each other in friendly games, and watch both Club matches such as that between Manchester United and Spartak Moscow and international games between England and Russia, and Wales and Russia, while also visiting museums and the London football academy.5 Another well-known instrument of Britain’s soft power is the BBC. Through the World Service, 24-hour television news and its website BBC News, the BBC is able to reach across the globe. The recent uproar that was sparked by the proposal to cut the Foreign Office funding of the BBC World Service is testimony to its enduring influence in the arena of soft power. The Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, Richard Ottaway stated that: The value of the World Service in promoting the UK across the globe, by providing a widely-respected and trusted news service, far outweighs its relatively small cost. The recent dramatic events in North Africa and the Middle East have shown the ‘soft power’ wielded through the World Service could bring even more benefits to the UK in the future than it has in the past.6 In this ever-changing, global world where interconnectivity is becoming more and more important, the reliability of newsfeeds such as that of the BBC World Service to those who may not have access to the Internet or other forms of media is vital in the dissemination of information. Soft Power: A Comparison between Britain, France and Russia 315 FRANCE’S SOFT POWER Predating the British Council, the Alliance Francaise, which was founded in 1883 in Paris, France, has the sole aim of promoting French as a second language around the world and through the course of language instruction, the cultural links that are associated with it. Similarly to the British Council, which is a registered charity operating under the auspices of the Foreign Office, the Alliance Francaise is a “not-for-profit” organization however, it differs from the British Council in that it has no political or religious affiliations.7 Annually, the Alliance Francaise has: • 10,000 students • 160 nationalities • 2,300 teachers trained • 450...