| Power is one of the important conceptions in the theory of international relations. Power is the core of forming international behavior, and also the one of conceptions the most important and the most troublesome. It have been discussed and researched by many western international relations schools. Classic realist pointed out the concept, function and the significance of the power. Neo-realist revised the realists' point of view on power. Offensive realists further developed the theory of power. Neo-liberalist pointed out the conception of the international institution in order to lighten the influence of power and to fight against the neo-realist. But the facts proved that they agree with realist in some points of view, and they find something in common. The Constructivist uses some new concepts from the sociology, and they think that the existence and the operation of the power cannot be without the ideology and the culture. Wendt overturn the rationalism of Neo-realism and Neo-liberalism. The rationalists argue that the core of power lies in its materials. Constructivists, however, think that material and speech are the power of significance. Idea is also a kind of power, and so is the practice. Despite of the difference in theory of power, we can find there is a trend of America-centred behind the study of power. No matter how they change, it is the mirror of America's hegemonic expansion around world. It reflects the existence of speech hegemony in the international theory. With the change of the international politics after the cold war, the definition of the power has been changed. The academic circles home and abroad paid much attention to the soft power like the culture and the values, contrary to the hard power like politics and military. This paper aims to discuss the western international theory schools' concept about power and soft power. It is hoped we can enhance the comprehension of international theory, and understand the latest development of soft power.
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