There's not really other ways to do politics other than to project soft power (cold war) or hard power (armed conflict)

Well, there's always the bizarre weirdo's who believe we can design provably fair and cryptographically secure decentralized cosmopolitan egalitarian societies... but no one should pay these people any attention right?

Refusing to do business with totalitarian regimes dedicated to violate their citizen's human rights is in itself a way to leverage soft power.

That is a cold war if you do it at the national level. It is basically a trade embargo.

When you refuse to do business, and "encourage" your allies to do the same, then the other side begins to think that perhaps it may just be easier to take your resources by force.

Suggesting that the only way enforce human rights is through armed conflict or cold war is the way to win elections in the United States.