The Great Illusion: A Study of the Relation of Military Power to National Advantage

What are the fundamental motives that explain the present rivalry of armaments in Europe notably the Anglo-German? Each nation pleads the need for defence; but this implies that someone is likely to attack and has therefore a presumed interest in so doing. What are the motives which each State thus fears its neighbors may obey?They are based on the universal assumption that a nation in order to find outlets for expanding population and increasing industry or simply to ensure the best conditions possible for its people is necessarily pushed to territorial expansion and the exercise of political force against others (German naval competition is assumed to be the expression of the growing need of an expanding population for a larger place in the world a need which will find a realization in the conquest of English Colonies or trade unless these are defended); it is assumed therefore that a nations relative prosperity is broadly determined by its political power; that nations being competing units advantage in the last resort goes to the possessor of preponderant military force the weaker going to the wall as in the other forms of the struggle for life.