Synopsis
The book "Naval Blockades in Peace and War: An Economic History since 1750," co-authored by economic historians Lance E. Davis and Stanley L. Engerman, offers a detailed quantitative analysis of blockades as a longstanding tool of economic warfare. It traces their evolution from the mid-eighteenth century onward, beginning with foundational legal concepts like Britain's Rule of 1756 and examining how naval powers have sought to disrupt adversaries' trade, imports of critical goods (such as food, munitions, and raw materials), and overall economic capacity to sustain military efforts.
The core of the work consists of in-depth case studies of major historical blockades, including Napoleon's Continental System during the Napoleonic Wars, the mutual blockades in the War of 1812 between the United States and Britain, the Union blockade of the Confederacy in the American Civil War, and the extensive naval and economic blockades of both World Wars I and II. These chapters assess not only operational effectiveness—factoring in geography, naval resources, and enforcement challenges—but also the economic impacts on both blockading and blockaded nations, often drawing on military statistics, trade data, and cost-benefit evaluations to gauge success or failure in weakening enemy economies and war-making potential.
Throughout, the authors explore intersecting legal, political, and technological dimensions: how international law has constrained or justified blockade practices, the influence of innovations in shipping, submarines, aircraft, and organization on blockade strategies and evasion tactics, and the shifting political motivations behind their use. The book extends its scope into the twentieth century and beyond by addressing peacetime applications, such as economic sanctions and blockades without declared war, which have increasingly served as alternatives to direct conflict in hopes of achieving political goals through economic pressure.
Ultimately, Davis and Engerman provide a nuanced economic perspective that questions the overall military decisiveness of many blockades while highlighting their broader role in shaping global trade, resource allocation, and international relations, supported by extensive data from historical records. The analysis underscores dependencies on the blockading power's naval superiority and the targeted economy's vulnerabilities, offering insights into why some efforts succeeded indirectly through adaptation strains rather than outright strangulation.