From defence to security: New Zealand's hard power, soft power, and smart power: Stephen Hoadley reviews New Zealand's approach to security in the 21st century.

• Author: Hoadley, Stephen

The national anthem of New Zealand is an entreaty to the God of Nations to 'defend our free land'. The perils foreseen by Thomas Bracken in 1876 were the 'shafts of strife and war' and more specifically 'foes [that might] assail our coast'. Bracken's anthem offered three practical responses to these threats, that is, to

* 'make mountains into ramparts'

* 'make us then a mighty host' and

* 'put our enemies to flight'.

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These prescriptions suggest the classical sequence of territorial defence followed by mobilisation and counter-attack.

In 2007 these concepts seem outmoded. We live in a benign strategic environment, the Prime Minister has said, and however one may demur it is apparent that the prospect of direct attack is remote. The National Party objects rhetorically, but when in office it acted as if this were so, allowing Vote: Defence to decline to its present level of 0.9 per cent of GDP, the uniformed services to dwindle in number below 10,000, and the opportunity to acquire a third frigate to pass.

Granted, military capacity and prowess are still essential elements in a rounded foreign policy. This was made visible most recently by the dispatch of forces to moderate conflicts in the Pacific Islands and the US President's gratitude for New Zealand's dispatch of SAS, navy and air force elements to the Middle East. Protection of resource zones and sea lanes and military co-operation with allies and friends in the Southwest Pacific region remain vital.

Security thinking

But I would like to propose a broadening of focus from defence to security and recommend this as a healthier basis for public policy discourse. Indeed, Thomas Bracken foreshadowed this distinction when he noted several non-military threats to New Zealand, such as 'dissention, envy, hate, corruption; 'dishonour' and 'shame'. With some licence, let me characterise these as soft security threats. Bracken went on to prescribe the ends to which New Zealand foreign policy should be directed:

'make our country good and great'

'make her praises heard afar'

'guide her in the nations' van'

'crown her with immortal flame' and

'[preach] love and truth to man'

Again with licence, I will characterise these as prescriptions for the exercise of soft power. This concept was popularised by Harvard political scientist Joseph Nye to explain why the rest of the world did not rally against the emerging preponderance of United States hard power as the classical balance of power theory would suggest. (1) Soft power relies on respect, trust, admiration, persuasiveness, and leadership rather than compulsion by an armed force or a dominant economy. It is the sort of power a progressive small state like New Zealand can develop and deploy.

Key goals

Amongst the Key Goals enunciated by the government are the following:

'Strengthening national identity'

'Transforming the economy for the benefit of all'

'Protecting and enhancing the environment'

'Promoting inclusive solutions in the national interest"

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) in its vision statement has consolidated these four goals into one: 'Securing New Zealand's place in the world'. The New Zealand Defence Force has amongst its Key Priorities the exercise of 'Defence Diplomacy', entailing visits, exchanges, consultations, and deliberations on non-conventional and 'soft' threats as well as military matters. (2)

These goals reflect New Zealand's emphasis on soft power, that is, establishing contacts and trust among other governments and persuasively presenting New Zealand's case in international forums. Its instruments are...