What term describes influence exercised via military force or sanctions?

• A. Hard Power
• B. Justify
• C. Infrastructure
• D. Landlocked

Answer: (A)

Hard power is the ability to influence others through coercive means, such as military force or economic sanctions. It relies on tangible tools—armed forces, defense capabilities, and economic leverage—to push another country to change its behavior or policies, often without relying on persuasion or attraction. Sanctions restrict trade or financial flows to pressure compliance, while military action or the threat of force directly compels action. Since the question describes influence exercised via military force or sanctions, this term fits best. Other options don’t capture that coercive, instrumental aspect: a verb like justify is about giving reasons, infrastructure is a physical system, and landlocked describes geography, none of which describe influencing through coercion.