A Contemporary Re-evaluation of German Grand Strategy: An Analysis of the Soft-Power Strategy

Abstract

First, this paper examines German societal and political attitudes in the late 19th and 20th centuries that help explain Germany’s inclination towards the acceptance of soft power diplomacy. This historical examination then moves into case studies detailing the recent European diplomatic crises in the two previous decades; the case studies will follow a qualitative formulaic approach to evaluating both the effectiveness of the soft-power playbook in traditional hard-power situations and the extent to which soft-power methods were the initially proposed solution. Finally, this paper evaluates the degree to which Germany has adhered to its soft-power principles amidst reemerging hard-power ideologies.