soft, hard or knowledge; What do we know about the third power?

Faren Afarz checked

Political group of Anna Science and Technology News AgencyFor centuries, the power of nations came from tangible resources that ruling governments were able to see, measure and ultimately control. Among these tangible resources, we can mention the human population that can be used in the service of the system, the territorial integrity that can be captured, the naval force ready to be dispatched, and valuable goods such as oil, which can be interfered with and seized in the way of their export and supply.

Among the characteristics of this new type of knowledge-based source of power production, we can mention the challenge of governments to exercise control over it, especially when knowledge and technology have a private or academic origin.

But today, by moving away from the tangible sources of power production, we are witnessing the increasing desire of countries to find power by relying on intangible resources, and this includes knowledge and technologies such as artificial intelligence, which in turn accelerates the process of economic growth, scientific discoveries and capacities. They follow the military.

knowledge; Portable and non-removable weapon

Among the characteristics of this new type of knowledge-based source of power generation, we can point out the challenge of governments to exercise control over it, which is caused by the intangible and easy nature of the process of spreading knowledge from one area to another and even from one country to another.

For example, Washington cannot ask a hostile country to return to the United States an artificial intelligence algorithm designed by American scientists. This is despite the fact that in 2001, after the American spy plane crashed in China, Washington demanded the recovery of its wreckage, or just one year ago, when the United States destroyed the Chinese research balloon (according to a story of a spy balloon) over the Atlantic Ocean, Beijing He declared that he considers it his legitimate right to recover its carcass.

As a more understandable example, Washington cannot ask a biomedical engineer who completed his post-doctoral course in an American university to leave what he learned in the United States when he returns to his country. In other words, knowledge is a portable and irreplaceable weapon.

Meanwhile, the fact that typically intangible sources of power generation originate from the private or academic sectors adds to the challenge for governments to control them.

Foreign policy remains a game that is played on two levels, and in order to use the power of knowledge, both governments must contend with domestic actors and foreign enemies at the same time..

But the problem is that every day more than yesterday we see the influence of private companies in shaping geopolitical consequences, while The interests of the private sector are not necessarily aligned with national goals.

For example, over the past year, the CEOs of American technology companies, including Elon Musk, the owner of Tesla and SpaceX, have traveled to China and met with Chinese President Xi Jinping as much as Foreign Minister Anthony Blinken.

That being said, in today's knowledge-driven and technology-driven world, policymakers must look for new ways to generate power, increase it, and even transfer it quickly. Simply put, The security and prosperity of the future depends on our ability to strengthen the educational-research capacity and guide emerging technologies in the direction of securing national interests, rather than depending on preventing the enemy from gaining access to our technology..

Innovation and anticipation

For years, politicians have used hard and soft power tools to influence foreign enemies and even allies, and to advance their interests by relying on hard power, they have increased their military and military power to be both a threat to enemies and A factor to protect friends.

While traditional foreign policy tools pursue external goals, investing in the power of knowledge and using it requires looking inward.

Currently, hard power and soft power are still important, but since they are no longer as important as before in determining the success of a country, governments should seek to develop a third form of power, the power of knowledge, and advance their national interests by strengthening their technological production capacity. Move forward.

The power of knowledge has two basic components:

* Ability to innovate

* Ability to predict

The first case (innovation) refers to the ability to produce and exploit technological achievements.

The second case (prediction) deals with information, the traditional part of which is at the disposal of intelligence institutions and focuses on finding out the intention and ability of hostile countries to threaten the interests of a country.

But since the boundary between indigenous industries and foreign policy has been blurred, one of the new tasks of intelligence institutions is to help the government to understand the mechanism of implementation of indigenous technologies (this is the case in a country like America where technology giants are involved in the direction of public opinion and necessarily serve the interests of the government. do not meet, it is very important.)

Note that even in the case of America, the goal of innovation and foresight is not only to strengthen the military and increase the attractiveness of a country. The main application of the power of knowledge is within a country. While traditional foreign policy tools pursue external goals, investing in the power of knowledge and using it requires looking inward.

It requires the coordination of ideas, talent, and technology to help a nation and its allies thrive against adversaries.

Training is the key to producing power

It is difficult to talk about the components of knowledge power and how to evaluate them. But national education skill levels are a good place to start. There is ample evidence that a highly educated workforce promotes long-term economic growth.

The geographical concentration of technological talent is another useful indicator of knowledge power that shows which countries are ready to leapfrog and lead in sensitive areas.. In this regard, teamwork, bringing scientists together in laboratory or academic environments and avoiding scientific isolation is a guideline for progress in the field of technology.

Since the border between indigenous industries and foreign policy is blurred, one of the new tasks of intelligence institutions is to help the government to understand the mechanism of implementation of indigenous technologies.

Also, ensuring the long-term prosperity of a nation depends on ensuring the health of the country's research centers; Because the supply chain of innovation does not start from technology companies, but from laboratories and university classes.

In summarizing what was said before, it is necessary to pay attention to the fact that the policy makers of each country need more than anything a guideline that will help them in evaluating, strengthening and using the power of knowledge of that country, and the first step in this way is to improve information capabilities. It is to measure the weaknesses and strengths in the field of new technologies and to prioritize the elimination of shortcomings.

It is very important that, in addition to the Ministry of Defense, the government has an office to evaluate emerging technologies. Even more specifically, in the case of the United States, the Office of National Intelligence has enhanced its relationships with companies and universities to gain a deeper understanding of technological developments.

This report is summarized from an article in “Foreign Affairs” magazine and translated into Farsi.