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Beyond Britannia

Reshaping UK Foreign Policy

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Beyond Britannia

By: Simon McDonald
Narrated by: Simon McDonald
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About this listen

An argument for a new approach to foreign policy in the United Kingdom.

What should the future of British foreign policy look like? For too long, successive governments have shied away from acknowledging uncomfortable truths about the decline of Britain’s military capabilities. As we approach the middle years of the twenty-first century, a new set of urgent and daunting challenges lie ahead, including climate change, technological development, the rise of AI, and a growing threat from China. The need for us to reconcile ourselves with our position in the world has never been more acute. In Beyond Britannia: Reshaping UK Foreign Policy, Simon McDonald persuasively argues that the United Kingdom’s significant soft-power strengths can be harnessed to expand its international influence. Such a shift will only be possible, he says, if we first acknowledge the challenges of Brexit and the need to reduce our unrealistic hard-power ambitions. Excellence in areas that other countries care about will keep the United Kingdom internationally relevant in the second half of the century in a way that nostalgia for a lost pre-eminence will not.

©2023 Simon McDonald (P)2023 Haus Publishing Politics & Government United States World United Kingdom Military

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All stars
Most relevant
It's like being read a bedtime story by your father... I'm looking forward to listening to book three!

Brilliant book

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A thoughtful, captivating and knowledgeable account of Britain's history on the world stage and how it can adapt to thrive - written by someone with first-hand experience of leading the Foreign Office.

Brilliant window into UK history and foreign policy

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A great book that should be a must read for anyone who has political ambitions in this or any other country. It should be placed in the syllabus of all political courses at all levels.

The Unbiased Honesty.

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Well written and well narrated I thoroughly recommend this book. It is comprehensive and though in its analysis of the options available for UK foreign policy.

An eloquent account.

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