Geopolitics & Trade · Big theories
Sea Power (Mahan)
Alfred Thayer Mahan argued that command of the sea decides the fate of nations. His six elements of sea power, his influence on Roosevelt, the Kaiser and Japan, and today's version: chokepoints, shipping lanes and the US–China naval balance.
Step 1 of 6 · Overview30 min read ·
Key idea
Prereqs: World map basics; Rivers, ports & trade. Next: The Heartland (Mackinder). Sources: Mahan's *The Influence of Sea Power upon History, 1660–1783* (1890), Paul Kennedy's *The Rise and Fall of British Naval Mastery*, US EIA chokepoint data.Next: 1. Mahan's argument