Can Britain Become A Superpower Again? | With David Reynolds

Britain was once the world’s dominant global power. A relatively small island nation built an empire spanning nearly a quarter of the Earth’s land, controlled vital trade routes, and became the centre of the Industrial Revolution.

But how did Great Britain punch so far above its weight - and when did that extraordinary system of power actually break?

The UK today remains a nuclear power, a permanent member of the UN Security Council, a major NATO and a country with enormous diplomatic, cultural and educational reach.

Is that enough to remain a consequential global power or is Britain increasingly living off the legacy of a power it no longer possesses?

Bianca Nobilo explores the rise and decline of British power with historian David Reynolds, Emeritus Professor of International History at Cambridge and author of Britannia Overruled.

(00:00:00) Britain - a historical anomaly (00:04:24) 'Accidental empire' - Historian David Reynolds (00:06:01) How a tiny island became a global power (00:09:55) The world's strongest navy (00:12:02) Empire as a "multiplier" of British power (00:14:00) Was it ACTUALLY a superpower? (00:18:19) When does status start to decline? (00:21:51) How Churchill shaped how Britain sees itself (00:24:56) America and Britain - an 'inconceivable' relationship (00:31:03) Lost influence (00:34:57) Brexit and Britain's new identity (00:37:45) Bianca's goal Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices