Seapower States: Maritime Culture, Continental Empires and the Conflict That Made the Modern World
“A fascinating geopolitical chronicle . . . A superb survey of the perennial opportunities and risks in what Herman Melville called ‘the watery part of the world.’” —The Wall Street Journal

In this volume, one of the most eminent historians of our age investigates the extraordinary success of five small maritime states. Andrew Lambert, author of The Challenge: Britain Against America in the Naval War of 1812—winner of the prestigious Anderson Medal—turns his attention to Athens, Carthage, Venice, the Dutch Republic, and Britain, examining how their identities as “seapowers” informed their actions and enabled them to achieve success disproportionate to their size.

Lambert demonstrates how creating maritime identities made these states more dynamic, open, and inclusive than their lumbering continental rivals. Only when they forgot this aspect of their identity did these nations begin to decline. Recognizing that the United States and China are modern naval powers—rather than seapowers—is essential to understanding current affairs, as well as the long-term trends in world history. This volume is a highly original “big think” analysis of five states whose success—and eventual failure—is a subject of enduring interest, by a scholar at the top of his game.

“An intriguing series of stories of communities thinking seriously about how to stand their own ground when outpowered, how to do so in ways that are consistent with their values, and sometimes how to negotiate the descent from being a great power when the cards just aren’t in their favor any more. These are timely questions.” —Times Higher Education Supplement

“Lambert is, without a doubt, the most insightful naval historian writing today.” —The Times
1128148253
Seapower States: Maritime Culture, Continental Empires and the Conflict That Made the Modern World
“A fascinating geopolitical chronicle . . . A superb survey of the perennial opportunities and risks in what Herman Melville called ‘the watery part of the world.’” —The Wall Street Journal

In this volume, one of the most eminent historians of our age investigates the extraordinary success of five small maritime states. Andrew Lambert, author of The Challenge: Britain Against America in the Naval War of 1812—winner of the prestigious Anderson Medal—turns his attention to Athens, Carthage, Venice, the Dutch Republic, and Britain, examining how their identities as “seapowers” informed their actions and enabled them to achieve success disproportionate to their size.

Lambert demonstrates how creating maritime identities made these states more dynamic, open, and inclusive than their lumbering continental rivals. Only when they forgot this aspect of their identity did these nations begin to decline. Recognizing that the United States and China are modern naval powers—rather than seapowers—is essential to understanding current affairs, as well as the long-term trends in world history. This volume is a highly original “big think” analysis of five states whose success—and eventual failure—is a subject of enduring interest, by a scholar at the top of his game.

“An intriguing series of stories of communities thinking seriously about how to stand their own ground when outpowered, how to do so in ways that are consistent with their values, and sometimes how to negotiate the descent from being a great power when the cards just aren’t in their favor any more. These are timely questions.” —Times Higher Education Supplement

“Lambert is, without a doubt, the most insightful naval historian writing today.” —The Times
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Seapower States: Maritime Culture, Continental Empires and the Conflict That Made the Modern World

Seapower States: Maritime Culture, Continental Empires and the Conflict That Made the Modern World

by Andrew Lambert
Seapower States: Maritime Culture, Continental Empires and the Conflict That Made the Modern World

Seapower States: Maritime Culture, Continental Empires and the Conflict That Made the Modern World

by Andrew Lambert

eBook

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Overview

“A fascinating geopolitical chronicle . . . A superb survey of the perennial opportunities and risks in what Herman Melville called ‘the watery part of the world.’” —The Wall Street Journal

In this volume, one of the most eminent historians of our age investigates the extraordinary success of five small maritime states. Andrew Lambert, author of The Challenge: Britain Against America in the Naval War of 1812—winner of the prestigious Anderson Medal—turns his attention to Athens, Carthage, Venice, the Dutch Republic, and Britain, examining how their identities as “seapowers” informed their actions and enabled them to achieve success disproportionate to their size.

Lambert demonstrates how creating maritime identities made these states more dynamic, open, and inclusive than their lumbering continental rivals. Only when they forgot this aspect of their identity did these nations begin to decline. Recognizing that the United States and China are modern naval powers—rather than seapowers—is essential to understanding current affairs, as well as the long-term trends in world history. This volume is a highly original “big think” analysis of five states whose success—and eventual failure—is a subject of enduring interest, by a scholar at the top of his game.

“An intriguing series of stories of communities thinking seriously about how to stand their own ground when outpowered, how to do so in ways that are consistent with their values, and sometimes how to negotiate the descent from being a great power when the cards just aren’t in their favor any more. These are timely questions.” —Times Higher Education Supplement

“Lambert is, without a doubt, the most insightful naval historian writing today.” —The Times

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780300240900
Publisher: Yale University Press
Publication date: 06/24/2022
Sold by: Barnes & Noble
Format: eBook
Pages: 611
Sales rank: 577,374
File size: 26 MB
Note: This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Andrew Lambert is Laughton Professor of Naval History at King’s College London, and a fellow of the Royal Historical Society.

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations and Maps viii

Acknowledgements xi

Preface xiv

Introduction: Seapower as Culture 1

1 Creating Seapower Identity 17

2 Constructing a Seapower: Athens, Democracy and Empire 45

3 Burning the Carthaginian Fleet 80

4 Trade, War and Ceremony: The Venetian Seapower State 110

5 'To What Great Profit Are We Opening the Sea': The Dutch Seapower State 157

6 Sea States and Overseas Empires: A Problem of Perspective 204

7 The Limits of Continental Naval Power: Absolutism, Command Economies and One-Party States 227

8 England: The Last Seapower 266

9 Seapower Today 311

Conclusion 323

Appendix: Cultural Seapowers: A Conceptual Aide-Memoire 330

Glossary 332

Notes 334

Bibliography 362

Index 373

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