An Imperial State at War: Britain From 1689-1815

The study of 18th century history has been transformed by the writings of John Brewer, and most recently, with The Sinews of Power , which challenged the central concepts of British history. Forced to pay the costs of war in defence of her growing empire, the power of the British state increased dramatically. Laissez faire melts away, and a stronger, more centralized and powerful state emerges centre stage. In An Imperial State at War , the leading historians of the 18th century put the Brewer thesis under the spotlight.