Some notes on Nye's scheme of power and the thought of Antonio Gramsci

Soft and hard power are concepts with high relevance on international relations field of study, appearing like “crystalized concepts” on media, official statements and foreign policy reviews. The following paper aims to analyze these concepts and to point a relation with Gramsci’s concept of “hegemony”. Then, we draw some critics about methodological issues. Nye’s attempt of detach the Machiavellian centaur recovered by Gramsci reveals some fails inside the theory of this important author from liberal school of international relations.