Actually - I've just read it again. Although he'd just been speaking about the American Civil War, I'm not altogether convinced that that is the war he was meaning us to understand in his reference to "the decade after the war". Meh.
Ah ... in that case I DID understand you correctly. In that case ... what is your evidence??? From 1870 to 1890 Britain was the industrial powerhouse of the world.
Well I have read differently, but cant recall exactly where. Thats careless of me. My days of formal study of history are over you see... I did a web search just now anyway, and came up with a downloadable lecture on Britains economic decline from 1870. This is another link to a blog about this. I will try to remember where I was recently reading about it. This is not evidence, but at least shows I am not out on a limb here or merely speculating. To summarize, you are right that Britain was the major industrial power in c19. Until around 1870, when it began slowly to go downhill. If that is so, the rise of US industry must be a major factor.IMO. http://mackridgehistory.blogspot.co.uk/2010/04/britains-industrial-decline-1870-1939.html
After the Spanish - American war it became pretty clear the United States had imperialistic notions. That it might plan to take on the British Empire in due time should come as no surprise. Fortunately these things have not taken place, but I truly do enjoy reading the speculation on an alternate history, as much as I might personally oppose and dread the idea of any such confrontation. EDIT: Hey uh, Brits... Americans... we're BFFs, right? ... Right?!?!? *considers buying a Union Jack just in case*
I am sure you are right. An elite in the USA, exemplified perfectly by Theodore Rex, sought empire and the general ascendency of America. This coincided with the beginning of the decline of Britain as a the leading world power. I dont think that can be argued against. Later I think Wilson was kind of pursuing the same goal, and it was brought to its peak by FDR and Truman. But maybe you can go back further than the Spanish war, The Monroe doctrine, the Mexican war even......
Well ... it's always good to start with Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economic_history_of_the_United_Kingdom There was something of a depression during the period 1870 - 1890 ... but that is not the same as industrial decline. What was happening was that production was outstripping demand with inevitable declines in profitability. But British industry itself was still expanding. It was most definitely not in decline.
Maybe when I have time I will look further into it. I think though you would agree that gradually, the USA replaced Britain as the dominant industrial and economic power.
Yes ... assuredly it did. But I think that is because American industry grew in the 19th century, not because British industry was in decline in the 19th century. British industrial decline may have begun in the inter-war years; but it's hard to tell because of course we were reconstructing after one World War which we'd fought from beginning to end, and then there was global depression, and then there was the rush to gear up for the coming conflict with Germany so trying to spot the trend for certain is difficult. But following the second world war there was a definite industrial decline. In the 1870s though? British industry was growing ... it's just, American industry was growing faster. In 1900, though, the largest Joint Stock company in the world was still the London & North Western Railway Company. And that was definitely one of ours
