London: The Empire strikes back! Britain for the first time has toppled the U.S. to emerge as the most powerful nation in the world when it comes to "soft power", according to a new UK survey.
The survey found that Britain projects more positive influence around the world than any other nation.
For the first time, Britain has beaten the U.S. to the top spot in an annual survey of global soft power.
Coined by a Harvard academic in 1990, the term describes how countries use attraction and persuasion, rather than coercion or payment, to change behaviour.
Monocle magazine's annual "Global Soft Power" survey, ranks nations according to their standard of government; diplomatic infrastructure; cultural output; capacity for education; and appeal to business.
The top five spots went to Britain, the U.S., Germany, France and Sweden. The list is calculated using a matrix of 50 factors that indicate the use of soft power, the 'Independent' reported.
Some are empirical – such as the number of cultural missions, Olympic medals and foreign students a country can claim; others are more subjective – with countries ranked for the quality of their cuisine, architecture and business brands, the report said.
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