Country’s politicoeconomic system is crucial in shaping its foreign policy. These
systems are seen as fundamental building blocks in determining how a country will
respond to international challenges and how it will seek to achieve its strategic
objectives, whether through the use of soft power (diplomacy, culture) or hard power
(military coercion). For the purpose of the thesis, the field of political economy, political
systems, economic systems and foreign policy in three selected countries USA,
Chinaand Slovenia was examined. The objectives of the thesis are to describe the political
systems and foreign policies in each country, to identify how each country addresses
political and economic challenges, to describe the concepts and theories of political
economic systems, and to critically evaluate the performance of each system. The
results show that the US is more likely than China to use hard power in its foreign
policy. China focuses more on soft power, except when it comes to disputes in its
vicinity. The US is currently economically and infrastructurally stronger than China, but
faces greater social inequalities and lower economic growth. China is investing heavily
in science and has high economic growth, but will face environmental and social
challenges of its own in the future. Slovenia and the US share common Western
values, while Slovenia's NATO membership provides security against external threats.
While there are advantages in allying with the US, it is also necessary to take into
account possible global changes that could affect this dynamic. The results of the
thesis can serve as a basis for further indepth studies and research as the foreign policy landscape is constantly changing.
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