Lecture | War And Power: Who Wins Wars - And Why

War and power are two of the most-widely discussed issues in all of human history, and yet they are, time and again, misunderstood ― often disastrously so.

In this lecture Professor Phillips O’Brien, author of War and Power, will demonstrate that whilst we might think the outcome of war is determined by so-called ‘Great Powers’, who dominate their opponents with their impressive size and military prowess, the reality of modern conflict is very different. He urges us instead to look for ‘Full Spectrum Powers’. For if we are considering how powerful a nation is and who will win a war, we need to think less about weapons, and more about the economies and societies that produce them; less about individual battles, and more about sustaining campaigns and alliances in which states operate.

Using fascinating examples from the late 19th century to the present day, Professor O’Brien will explain how misunderstanding war and power has led to terrible, even preventable conflicts – such as the war in Ukraine – and how more accurate analysis can help us consider the potential conflict between the US and China. Phillips Payson O’Brien is Professor of Strategic Studies at St Andrews. He is the author of War and Power: Who Wins Wars ― and Why, The Strategists, How the War Was Wonand The Second Most Powerful Man in the World. He has written for The Atlantic, The Spectatorand Foreign Affairs, and has a combined following of more than 300k on X and Substack.

6.30pm Drinks Reception (Drink included in ticket price), 7.00pm Lecture Commences

£12 non members | £10 Friends