Discuss the methods by which Britain became a great power

Résumé du document

The very notion of power and by extension the one of great power, have always been elaborate concepts to grasp. Should one study the strength of a nation from a historical perspective, then it appears that the notion of great power could only be defined comparatively. Indeed, it is only in its interaction with others that a nation is, or is not, a great power. Many theorists attempted to determine what places an entity, not especially a political one, in a position of power. From Robert Dahl's emphasis on influence within a decision-making process to James March's stress on power as a control on the outcome of events , the task proves to be demanding. Basically, a large acceptation of the concept seems acceptable here. Britain became a Great Power when she managed to fully integrate the process of decision making among other European Powers, when she influenced their attitude in order to achieve her goals.

Extraits

[...] This strong economy paved the way to the early industrialization enjoyed by Britain in the eighteenth century. Indeed, the developing Empire provided a continuous supply of raw materials and offered wide markets for manufactured products. However, it would not have occurred that early in history without several British specificities. The country experienced a relatively early structural evolution from an agrarian economy to an industrialized one. From the middle of the eighteenth century, open fields were enclosed, what paved the way to modern methods of exploitation. [...]

[...] The United States or Germany enjoyed large British investment that developed their infrastructures and thus made possible for them to use their demographic assets against Britain. British economic rise required technical exportations but the leveling of her advance proved highly detrimental, as shown by her situation after the First World War. Bibliography Altich, Richard. Victorian People and Ideas. New York: W.W Norton and Company Baxter, Stephen B., ed. England's Rise to Greatness Berkeley: University of California Press Blease, Walter Lyon. A Short Story of English Liberalism. London: T.F Unwin Bruce, Maurice. British Foreign Policy : Isolation or Intervention. London : Thomas Nelson Callender, Goeffrey. [...]

[...] The Elizabethan intervention against Spain in 1585 is a relevant case in point. Although she was military unprepared, the Queen refused to let Madrid freely assault the United Provinces. Nevertheless, it is William III who conceptualized the promotion of equality among powers as a way to achieve British dominance[31]. He let a deeply rooted inheritance that could be found find in the War of Spanish Succession (1701-1714), where Britain prevented Bourbon France to absorb Spanish Empire. This preservation of balance could only be achieved thought intervention, direct or indirect, military of economic. [...]

[...] The naval side of British history: 1485-1919. London: Christophers.1952 Dickson, Peter George Muir The Financial Revolution in England, London: MacMillan Evans, Eric. The Forging of The Modern State London, Longman Holmes, Geoffrey. The Age of Oligarchy. London, Longman Holmes, Geoffrey. The Making of a Great Power. London : Longman Howard, Christopher. The Policy of Isolation Historical Journal, vol.10, no (1967) : 77-88 Kennedy, Paul. The Rise and Fall of the British Naval Mastery. London: Allen Lane Kennedy, Paul. The Rise and Fall of Great Powers. [...]

[...] Finance offered Britain the ability to secure alliance through large loans and allowed her to lead Napoleon in a war his economy could not bear. This relative strength not only facilitated victory but also enhanced Britain leading position in 1815 and for the first half of the century, because she was the creditor of all the major European Powers[25]. This economic supremacy profoundly coloured foreign relations. From the Elizabethan period to the first decade of the twentieth century British diplomacy had shown a rare coherence. The ultimate aim remained the prevention of any continental State to reach a status of unchallengeable power. [...]