Customer Reviews

Arms and the State: Sir William Armstrong and the Remaking of British Naval Power, 1854-1914 (Modern Economic and Social History)

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The book discusses how the British dealt with new military technology and new defense business concepts in the 19th century. Its not a pretty story, but a useful one to know. Armstrong invented the first effective breech loading cannon and built a company to make and sell it. The British government did not know how to deal with a privately-owned arms manufacturer since they had been using publicly-owned and operated arsenals for centuries. The story of Armstrong's company is the story of how Britain learned how to mange high technology and private industry in national defense. As you might image, it was not easy for either side. Many problems arose which we still see today. It is useful & instructive to see the initial responses and first behaviors from the British government and British industry; they differ little from some current proposals. Understanding these early responses will help the modern practitioner or academic understand the processes and avoid some of those early mistakes.

Did not give five stars only because the editing for the book is weak. Some sections repeat earlier discussions. Facts are fine; presentation is good, but not great.