The Collapse of British Power (Pride and Fall sequence) by Correlli Barnett

Pride and the Fall #1

by Correlli Barnett

The first book in the acclaimed Pride & Fall sequence on British power in the 20th century This book explains the decay of British power bewtween 1918 and 1940 and its final collapse between 1940 and 1945. Some have sought to expalin this ineptitude, particularly between the two world wars, by citing the tremendous costs of the First World War in both treasure and manpower. Not so, says Corelli Barnett, who ruthlessly identifies the root causes which reduced Britain eventually to a satellite of the USA. Ranging over 100 years, drawing together arguments from many spheres - education and industry, diplomatic and imperial history, Cabinet papers and the Press - it is as fascinating to read as it is significant.

Genres: History, Politics, Nonfiction, British Literature

Paperback

First published January 1, 1972

About the author

A freelance historian and writer, Correlli Barnett was educated at Trinity school and Exeter College, Oxford, where he took a degree in modern history. After national service in the Intelligence Corps from 1945 to 1948, Barnett worked for the North Thames Gas Board until 1957, then in public relations until 1963. He was historical consultant and part author of the BBC series 'The Great War' and won the 1964 Screen Writers' Guild Award for best British television documentary script.

Reviews

[Flob · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book that overstates its basic premise and neglects, I believe, contrary arguments. In short it doesn't feel like a balance argument. Even so it is an excellent read because it does present some pretty damming evidence on how the country (UK) was run between the wars and the type of people running things. Britain took the moral high ground (which was also cheaper) when Hitler, Stalin & Co competed for the moral low ground. The naivety of the British elite is breath taking and only surpassed by their arrogant conviction of rightness, France was weak and the USA aloof. They thought they could play poker with the Dictators when they were barely able to play snap with their grandchildren. But it is hard to see how democracies like Britain and France could convince their voting public that preparation for another suicidal war was necessary. Basically our leaders were between a rock and a hard place with only moral indignation as a weapon. It is not possible, reading this, to think that Chamberlain, Halifax and the rest were anything but dupes in the run up to WW2 . I hope the lessons in this book have been learned - I fear not looking at how Brexit has been handled.

[Peter Bennett · Rating 4 out of 5]

The late Correlli Barnett is very critical of Churchill for prosecuting a war beyond Britain's means and thus destroying her independent economic power and condemning her to American vassalage. This is a critique of Churchill that I had not come across before. A weakness in the argument is that Barnett does not expand upon what a war fought within Britain's means would have looked like. That is only a minor critique though.

[Colin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a powerful indictment of the failures of British international policy between the two world wars. The message is one of naivety, misplaced trust in international institutions such as the League of Nations, arrogance and the immense problems which clinging on to Empire and the Dominions caused to Britain. The late Correlli Barnett bases his account almost exclusively on Cabinet papers which are dutifully summarised and analysed. It is a depressing but convincing story.

It is easy prose to read although the balance of the chapters - with an enormous central section - without much pause, makes it challenging to digest.

One stylistic idiosyncrasy is Barnett's almost continual reference to "England", the "English Government" etc., to describe Britain - this is despite the book's title. I have not encountered this before in the work of a reputable writer, and it jars. That aside, this is a mighty book that I strongly recommend.

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating and sobering post-mortem on how a country can rapidly go from powerful to impotent, while having no clue, absolutely no clue, it is doing so.

Author Correlli Barnett, writing in 1972, couldn't have possibly intended it, but this book on England is a near-perfect pre-mortem for the current collapse of US po... [see the rest on my book review site.]

[Indigo Curnick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very detailed account of the lead up to the Second World War. I think this suits serious readers better; a general reader might find it too heavy

[Lysergius · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spanning the period 1860 - 1940 Corelli Barnett lays bare the delusions and illusions of moral grandeur responsible for the loss of Britain's position as a world power. Having lived with the consequences of this most of my life I am grateful to Mr Barnett for tearing aside the lies and fabrications and self delusion that have been the British way of life since 1945...