Battleships and dividends : the rise of private armaments firms in Great Britain and Italy, c.1860-1914
This thesis analyses the rise of private armaments firms in Great Britain and in Italy from mid-19th century to the outbreak of the First World War, with a focus on naval armaments and military shipbuilding. During this period, the armaments industry underwent a radical transformation, moving from being based on public-owned arsenals and yards to being based on private firms â the system of military procurement prevalent today. The key reason behind this transformation was the increasingly rapid evolution of military technology which started in the late 1850s and which was especially marked in naval ordnance and warship design. Guns and vessels, which previously could have been used for decades, were now outdated in a few years. Rapid technological change forced governments to constantly re-equip their armed forces, thus creating the opportunity for private firms both to supply goods which government arsenals did not make, and to supplement their production when this was not sufficient. It also favoured the expansion of the international armaments trade because advanced technologies were difficult to replicate. By 1914, private armaments firms had become the leading suppliers of crucial military hardware
Marchisio, Giulio
Battleships and dividends : the rise of private armaments firms in Great Britain and Italy, c.1860-1914. This thesis analyses the rise of private armaments firms in Great Britain and in Italy from mid-19th century to the outbreak of the First World War, with a focus on naval armaments and military shipbuilding. During this period, the armaments industry underwent a radical transformation, moving from being based on public-owned arsenals and yards to being based on private firms â the system of military procurement prevalent today. The key reason behind this transformation was the increasingly rapid evolution of military technology which started in the late 1850s and which was especially marked in naval ordnance and warship design. Guns and vessels, which previously could have been used for decades, were now outdated in a few years. Rapid technological change forced governments to constantly re-equip their armed forces, thus creating the opportunity for private firms both to supply goods which government arsenals did not make, and to supplement their production when this was not sufficient. It also favoured the expansion of the international armaments trade because advanced technologies were difficult to replicate. By 1914, private armaments firms had become the leading suppliers of crucial military hardware
rise private armament firm great britain italy analysis rise private armament firm great britain italy outbreak first_world_war focus naval armament military shipbuilding period armament industry underwent_radical transformation move base public owned yard base private firm system military procurement prevalent today key reason_behind transformation increasingly rapid evolution military technology start especially mark naval ordnance warship design vessel previously could_use decade outdated year rapid technological_change force government constantly equip armed force thus create opportunity private firm supply good government make supplement production sufficient also expansion international armament trade advance technology difficult replicate private armament firm become lead supplier crucial military hardware