ABSTRACT
This chapter deals with two key themes which are crucial to any understanding of the context within which defence policy is made. The first theme concerns the pivotal significance of the Anglo-American ‘special relationship’ to Britain’s defence policy. It examines various interpretations of this highly contested concept and undertakes an analysis of the costs and benefits it offers for Britain – particularly during a period of relative economic weakness. The second theme concerns the crucial relationship between Britain’s economic health and its military strength since the end of the Second World War. It highlights Britain’s retreat from a position of ostensible strength in the immediate post-war years to its present position as a nation which has spent more on defence as a percentage of GDP than any other European member of NATO since 1945, but which is still struggling to find a meaningful role for itself in a challenging international environment. The chapter concludes by considering the impact of innumerable defence reviews between 1952 and the Integrated Review of March 2021.
