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Why Hybrid Nations Struggle with International Great Power Competition
Nation-states that are continental and sea powers often struggle militarily to compete with nations that are not hybrid great powers.
The primary example of this is Great Britain.
This sea power derived its military strength and power from the 17th century onwards from its ability to control the world’s shipping lanes and oceans using its geopolitical position to dominate the Atlantic and North Seas.
For nearly 900 years, its arch-rival France struggled to compete and subdue the first Kingdom of England after 1066 and then the Union with Scotland in 1707, which dissolved the independent kingdoms of England and Scotland and created the United Kingdom of Great Britain, which existed since then.
The issue that France has and still has to this day is that it is a continental power, and because of this, it neglects its ability to build a Navy which can project its power throughout the globe.
France attempted to have sufficient military power on land and sea to meet its rivals on the continent, as well as meeting British power on the waves.
Unfortunately, France failed to win any territory in trying to do both.
