哈佛大學的奈伊教授提出「柔性國力」的概念，並強調「柔性
國力」相對於傳統的「硬性國力」靠軍事和經濟的力量來強壓敵人
的重要性。「柔性國力」是靠吸引和說服敵人來達到其目的的能力。
這種能力來自於國家的文化、政治理念、和政策。在 2000 年上任後，
臺灣的副總統呂秀蓮借用奈伊教授的概念。她指出臺灣「柔性國力」
的五個要件—人權、民主、和平、愛、和高科技。本文作者認為奈
伊教授和呂副總統的說法都值得重視，但建議臺灣的「柔性國力」
要件要加上三個—臺灣人民保衛台灣的決心和信心、以民防為基礎
的國防機制、和與美國及日本更親近的聯盟關係。

Professor Joseph Nye of Harvard University coined the term “soft
power” to underscore the importance of a nation’s power opposite the
traditional “hard power,” military and economic power that is used to
coerce the enemy. “Soft power” is the ability to get what a nation wants
by attracting and persuading other nations to adopt its goals. This ability
is derived from a nation’s culture, political ideals, and policies.
Vice President of Taiwan, Annette Lu, apparently borrowed the
concept of soft power from Professor Nye after she assumed the vice
presidency in 2000. She identified five elements of Taiwan’s soft power:
human rights, democracy, peace, love, and high technology. This author
believes that Professor Nye’s theory and Vice President Lu’s concept of
soft power for Taiwan are both well taken. However, this author proposes
to modify the concept of Taiwan’s soft power by adding three elements,
namely, the will and confidence of Taiwan’s people to defend Taiwan, a
civilian-based defense mechanism, and a closer alliance with the US and
Japan.