What is the Meaning & Definition of Thalassocracy

The term thalassocracy comes from the Greek, specifically the word thalassa, meaning sea and kratos, which means Government or power. Thus, the talosocracia could be defined as the power which has a nation as a result of its predominance in the navigation, both military and civilian. This concept is already present in Greek mythology, Poseidon is the God of the seas.
The idea of Government or to have different denominations: democracy, theocracy, aristocracy or technocracy. With respect to the thalassocracy the concept of power is not strictly speaking a particular form of Government but the strategic influence of a nation through the control of the sea routes (thalassocracy would connect more with the geostrategic dimension and not as a form of Government). Surprisingly, the thalassocracy is applicable to those Nations open to the sea and with a clear projection of military, commercial and cultural.
In the history of mankind, there have been several cases of cultures based on the thalassocracy (Greek, Phoenician civilization or Portugal, some Italian kingdoms or Spain in the modern age). However, there is a nation that stands out above the others, Great Britain.

The paradigmatic case of Great Britain

Britain is not a country with a large territory and has a few raw materials of great importance. His influence in the history of humanity has been and is very notable and said power sits in its maritime vocation.
We can highlight various historical situations that highlight the British power in relation to the sea:
-Starting from the century XVll were enacted the navigation acts, a series of laws aimed at limiting the navigation of foreign ships with the clear purpose of preventing commercial competition from other Nations.
-British colonization has been based on the domain of navigation, trade routes and the military might of its Navy. XVlll century the British explored the South Pacific and conquered Australia and New Zealand. Likewise, they occupied the eastern coast of North America and founded the 13 colonies which would later be the germ of United States. British colonialism was also extended in the Caribbean and in several territories on the African continent. Do not think that the British hegemony is a matter of the past, since the former colonies are now United in an entity, the Commonwealth or a Commonwealth of Nations led by the British Crown.
-The maritime vocation of the British has introduced further variants, e.g. scientific (scientific expedition of the Beagle at the beginning of the nineteenth century the naturalist Charles Darwin to develop a revolutionary theory, evolution).
Article contributed by the team of collaborators.