Is the United Kingdom still a major power in the world?

Knight Dream

Yes, the UK is still a relevant global power. London has become the global financial center since regulation passed by the US government in the late 1990's made corporate operations more difficult.

In a military respect they still maintain a very well trained and highly effective fighting force. Due to the size of the nation it cannot produce a military of similar size to other global powers but British forces have an impact wherever they are deployed.

The truth is that in the current age of "Uber-powers" (US, China, Russia - to a lesser extent) the UK can seem comparatively small but if you imagine a world without those powers the UK does loom large over many other nations with regard to military skill, readiness, and force projection ability.

Ed B

Of course!
Hey hobosapien, the invincible operates VTOL Harriers, doesn't need those British invented catapults the yanks use!

Heart of Darkness

I think that the UK is influential in the world, but I think there are some who still wish for the days of the British Empire.

I'm not sure what the UK's military has in store in the future, but I can say I've personally worked with the British military several times and have been very impressed with their calm demeanor in times of crisis and their very sick sense of humor. And I mean that in the most complementary way possible.

Rob

Yes. The Uk is still a major power worldwide. A countries influence isn't measured ny how big their army is. England is still very powerfull behind the scenes.

aly mac

Str8 Shooter

Yes, UK is still very much a major power in the world

Kit Fang

I don't think we have illusions of still being an empire - America's the one with illusions of being an empire!!

Of course we're still a major power! We're a G8 member, with the fifth largest economy in the world, we're a member of NATO, the WTO, the commonwealth, a permanent member of the UN security council and the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations, and whilst we may be making cuts to our armed forces, what do you expect during a recession? For a country of our size we punch well above our weight in military terms - we're one of the countries with nuclear weapons! And that alone will mean we no-one ever tries to seriously mess with us.

Oh yeah, and London stock exchange has more companies from around the world listed than anywhere else, so saying we're not a global power - well, obviously all these companies don't agree when it comes to being a major power in the world's financial and trade markets.

So yes, we are still a major power. No, we're not the richest, or the most powerful, or anything, but we're up there in the top 5/10, and we will be for a long time.

Watchful Occupier

Only because all your federal tax dollars go to pay the debt from the federal reserve to the world bank there.

End the Fed.

Research the Federal Reserve.

Corky

You have answered your own question old lad!

reginald r

basically true,but we have earned that position,just think of what would happened i the british had given in to hitlers tyranny,like the french,dutch,in fact the whole of europe,there were those like lord halifax and his ilk who wanted to capitulate to the germans,thank heavens for winston churchill,the disgraced and womaniser king spent time in the german embassy in spain as a guest of the nazis during the war,so much for the royal family,he had delusions that when we were defeated he would be king and his wife would be queen,he was wrong as we all know,i use him as an example as someone who decries his own country,never not decry your own country,we do a lot of good but we are not perfect

Geoffrey M

The UK is still a fairly strong country, it has a good military and in my opinion its future looks bright.

frankturk50

Superpowers are usually the powers who are permanent members of the UN security council - USA,France,China,Russia,UK.The UK is one of three nations that possess the Trident submarine missiles most probably the deadliest weapon known to man.

Lord Britain

Obviously it lost it's status as a superpower in the '50s, but even today the size of the british economy, strength of its armed forces, position on the UN security council and in the commonwealth merit it being called a great power.

Sam C

well the uk is the strongest empire with america we have a small land but in india those terrorist asked for british and American people to cause problems it said on the new to attack Britain is causing big problems because Britain is the most power full country

wild-man of Borneo

Sure.
Why not?
Look in the real world.
Decode this lyrics " Knowing me knowing you"
Being one of the Rose?
One of the shepherd of the fields too?
Being one of the Freedom fighter ?
From the twilight zone to the future in time ?
Luke 6.39-40,41-45,46-49
Luke 21.30-33
Luke 10.24
Matt 22.17-21,32
What do you think?

Alex

I think that the 'power' of the UK is now part of the power of the EU (as regards to military power). Any attack on the UK will rally the EU, NATO and several Commonwealth countries to our team. And we have a good deal of diplomatic strength - we're very respected as a mediating country. No one has any particular negative opinions of us (excluding Al Queda and Argentina, who want the Falklands)

We're certainly a financial strength - we're the world's foremost bankers and one of the wealthiest in the world. (Not sure that being good bankers is a good thing, considering the last year or so)

And about the fleet - they were talking about getting rid of the old ones. Ships would be little use in a modern war - don't help nuclear/terrorist defence. We don't rule the waves, but there's not much point anymore.

LPW

How can Britain still be a Major world power, you need to be a Major world manufacturer to be that and Britain falls miserable far short of that.

We in Britain are fed a diet of great British victories against countries that have it all on fielding a gadder (catapult) and a pea-shooter never mind fighting a foreign power.
If it wasn't for our brave and well trained servicemen and women who risk their lives sometimes on a daily basis to do the bidding of our cowardly politicians then the British people would actually see how much this country has actually declined.

Patrick H

I wouldn't say so but it's still one of the richest countries in the world

High on life.

The truth is, i'm no longer sure where this country is going.

This video was helpful, called 'shift happens.'

It has facts. such as that China will soon be the number 1 English speaking country in the world. It really does make you think about where this country is heading!
Some of the facts are a bit pointless on this subject but they are still interesting.

Hope this helped!

Vladimir T

Britain is still strong in many respects, but as it doesn't have its own foreign policy, you can't call it a major power.

x4 and Ruby

i dont think the UK is a major world power anymore. The world is globally being redifined, with the middle east and China playing more major roles.

hobosapien081

It's just a country that used to have fame and still think they're **** hot..
just look at their carrier HMS invincible and compare it to even the oldest USN carrier, HMS uses ramps to get their planes into the air whereas the 50 year old USS Ranger uses catapults
Royal military has to put their body armor in circulation whereas everyone in the US military gets issued one...
I think the Royal forces have spirit, but they just aren't what they used to be 300 years ago

Dave Nielsen

Still a power, yes, just not a superpower as they once were. Those days are *long* past. They can't even attempt to go it alone in a conflict, or defy the U.N. and begin and sustain a conflict as the United States has done. It still has a role to play but it hasn't been top dog since WWI (and might not really have still been it then; really it was supplanted by the U.S. after about 1865 but didn't realize it). It's glory days are over. This is true of Europe in general, which has a kind of decayed feeling.

David

I'm not british, but off course that the UK is a major power. In a World without US and China, it would be the strongest military power (measured in terms of power projection capacity, the most important criteria). And it's not true that the UK cannot work separatelly from the USA. Just see the Libyan crisis: the war is being led by the british and the french, because they are the ones who have major interests at stake (oil and european security). America is withdrowing from Europe because of their own financial problemas and in the next decade we will se Britain and France having a bigger role in the defense of Europe and in the security of the Mediterranean (also to show the Germans that they dominate european economy, but not european defense). Economically, the UK has two big problems: the national debt and the decline of the industrial sector, but these problems can be solved, and the british government is working on that. And don't forget that London is still the biggest or second biggest financial center in the world. I'm not pessimist about the future of Britain and of Europe. And I don't believe in prophecies about a world dominated by China. It is possible, of course, but lots of people said the same about the USRR in the 1950's... China has many problems to solve and we don't know much about what's really happening there.

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