The Sinews of Power by John Brewer

The Sinews of Power: Uncover the Financial Secrets of the English State

Good Condition – Significant shelf wear and rubbing visible along the edges of the cover and spine. Spine is creased.

This is a classic piece of historical scholarship, The Sinews of Power, which revolutionised the understanding of Britain's rise to global influence. Historian John Brewer takes you through the crucial period of 1688–1783, showing how the country's success was rooted in a fiscal-military state built on war, money, and the English state’s administrative strength. This book brilliantly explains how massive growth in taxation and public administration were, far from being a negative, the single most important transformation that allowed Britain to rise as a major international power. It’s an essential, elegantly written read for anyone interested in eighteenth-century history, economics, and political science.