Paul Kennedy’s absorbing and detailed work examines the reasons for Britain’s rise and fall as a dominant sea power, from the Tudors to the present day. Challenging the traditional view that the British are natural ‘sons of the waves’, he suggests instead that the country’s fortunes as a significant maritime force have always been bound up with its economic growth. In doing so, he contributes significantly to the centuries-long debate between ‘continental’ and ‘maritime’ schools of strategy over Britain’s policy in times of war. And he considers the implications not only for the future of the British Navy, but also for the defence policies of government.

Setting naval history within a framework of national, international, economic, political and strategic considerations, Kennedy offers a fresh approach to one of the central and enduring questions in British history.