Фактор силы во внешней политике Европейского союза

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Abstract: The factor of power is an important prerequisite of the EU’s competitiveness as a global actor and its stability. The authors analyze the power factor transformation in the EU’s policy since the creation of the common European project till the present time; define the role of the factor of power and its aspects (“hard power”, “soft power”, “normative power”) in the contemporary foreign policy of the EU; consider the main instruments of implementation of the power potential of the Union as a global political and economic actor. The authors apply the historical method, comparative analysis, discourse analysis and other general scientific research methods. The paper reveals the transformation character of the power factor in the foreign policy strategy of the EU and defines the role of the factor of power and its aspects (“hard” and “soft” power) in the contemporary foreign policy of the EU. The historical analysis if the stages of the power factor transforming in the common European policy shows that the EU’s foreign policy is based on “soft power” reflecting the values and the ideals typical for the European sociocultural and political life. In spite of the fact that “soft power” is the key source of authority for the EU, based on the cultural and civilizational code and the normative power, in strategic and geopolitical issues the EU actively applies the instruments of “hard” power copying the foreign policy “habitus” of the national state. 

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