Testing the impact of geopolitics on European democratic countries’ soft power use

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ABSTRACT Using statistical analysis of 29 European democracies, this article looks at the impact of geopolitical threat on democracies’ soft power reliance. For the time-period of 1999–2010, geopolitical threat is a statistically significant variable that boosts soft power use. This geopolitical theory posits that political elite create a narrative that focuses on national security and start to rely on a higher level of soft power to balance against threats. The findings provide answers regarding countries’ alliance-building processes as well as suggest that the three main paradigms of international relations are more compatible than previously stated.