Since antiquity, the control of the seas has been one of the key pillars of global power. Whoever dominates the oceans also controls trade routes, communication lines, and—ultimately—the economic and military destiny of nations.
In the modern era, this idea became embodied in the British thalassocracy and later in the American thalassocracy: two maritime empires that built their global supremacy on naval strength and the strategic control of the world’s maritime chokepoints.
From Britain’s victory over continental powers in the 18th century to the U.S. naval dominance of the 21st, one geopolitical law remains constant:
Whoever controls the seas controls the world.
1. The Concept of Thalassocracy and the Logic of Maritime Geopolitics
1.1 Origins and Meaning of “Thalassocracy”
The term thalassocracy comes from the Greek words thalassa (sea) and kratos (power), meaning rule of the sea.
Ancient maritime civilizations—such as Minoan Crete, Carthage, and Athens—already demonstrated how naval dominance could translate into political and commercial power.
However, it was during the Age of Exploration and the modern era that thalassocracy became a global system of power.
With the discovery of the Americas and the opening of oceanic trade routes, nations realized that the key to supremacy was not only land but also the ability to project power and commerce across the seas..
1.2 Mahan and Mackinder: Sea Power vs. Land Power
The American naval theorist Alfred Thayer Mahan (1840–1914) was among the first to formulate a theory of maritime power.
In The Influence of Sea Power upon History (1890), Mahan argued that the world’s destiny depends on nations capable of:
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Maintaining a strong maritime commerce
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Building a powerful and permanent navy
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Controlling key maritime choke points
In contrast, British geographer Halford Mackinder, founder of classical geopolitics, claimed that global power would belong to whoever dominated the Eurasian “Heartland.”
Yet the 20th century proved Mahan right: the age of sea power had begun, and maritime control became the foundation of global influence.
2. The British Thalassocracy: Empire of the Seas
2.1 The Rise of British Maritime Power
From the 16th century onward, England turned its insular geography into an advantage.
After the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588, Britain began building a permanent navy and expanding across the oceans.
During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Royal Navy became the strongest maritime force on Earth, supported by a vast network of ports, colonies, and naval bases that spanned from the Atlantic to the Pacific.
Britain’s sea-based empire rested on three main principles:
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Control of strategic straits such as Gibraltar, Suez, and Malacca
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Maritime commercial dominance through the East India Company
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Balance of power in Europe, preventing any continental power (France, Spain, or Germany) from dominating Eurasia
2.2 Strategic Straits: The Arteries of the British Empire
The British Empire’s global reach was sustained by the control of vital maritime chokepoints—narrow passages that connected the oceans and trade routes.
Key maritime chokepoints under British control included:
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The Strait of Gibraltar – gateway between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic
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The Suez Canal (opened in 1869) – connecting Europe with India and the Far East
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The Cape of Good Hope – crucial before Suez’s opening
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The Strait of Malacca – between the Indian and Pacific Oceans, vital for Asian trade
By securing these positions, Britain effectively controlled global commerce, ensuring the flow of goods, resources, and military mobility across its empire..
2.3 Industrial Revolution and Naval Supremacy
The Industrial Revolution transformed Britain into a maritime superpower.
Advances in steam propulsion, ironclad ships, and logistical infrastructure gave the Royal Navy an unmatched technological edge.
By the late 19th century, Britain adopted the Two-Power Standard, maintaining a navy equal in strength to the next two largest fleets combined.
This ensured global maritime dominance and allowed Britain to protect its far-flung empire with unprecedented efficiency.
3. The American Thalassocracy: From Monroe to Global Sea Power
3.1 The Birth of American Maritime Power
After achieving independence, the United States gradually developed a maritime strategy focused on continental defense and oceanic projection.
The Monroe Doctrine (1823) declared the Americas off-limits to European colonial interference, asserting U.S. influence over the Western Hemisphere.
By the late 19th century, the U.S. began expanding overseas.
The Spanish–American War (1898) marked the turning point: victory over Spain and the annexation of the Philippines, Guam, and Puerto Rico made the United States a global maritime power.
3.2 The Panama Canal and Oceanic Projection
The completion of the Panama Canal in 1914 was a transformative event in U.S. geopolitics.
By connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, the canal enabled the U.S. to:
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Shorten transit times between the coasts
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Rapidly redeploy its naval fleets
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Control one of the most critical maritime chokepoints in the Western Hemisphere
The Panama Canal became the American equivalent of Britain’s Suez—a geopolitical artery of global sea power.
3.3 The U.S. Navy and Global Dominance
In the 20th century, the United States Navy emerged as the world’s most powerful maritime force.
After World War II, the U.S. established a vast network of military bases across key global chokepoints, ensuring total control over maritime commerce and energy routes.
Key bases include:
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Bahrain – gateway to the Persian Gulf
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Diego Garcia – strategic hub in the Indian Ocean
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Guam and Okinawa – projecting power across the Pacific
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Naples and Sigonella – controlling the Mediterranean
Today, the U.S. Navy ensures the security of global trade routes, protecting American and allied interests across the world’s oceans.
4. The Role of Straits and Chokepoints in Maritime Dominance
4.1 Understanding “Choke Points” in Modern Geopolitics
In maritime geopolitics, chokepoints are narrow passages that connect major bodies of water—strategic bottlenecks where control equals power.
Whoever controls these points can secure or disrupt global trade and energy supplies.
The world’s most critical chokepoints include:
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Hormuz Strait – vital for Persian Gulf oil exports
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Strait of Malacca – key route between India, China, and Japan
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Suez Canal – linking Europe and Asia
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Bab el-Mandeb – connecting the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean
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Gibraltar Strait – controlling entry to the Mediterranean
4.2 From the British Empire to U.S. Naval Strategy
Both Britain and the United States built their thalassocratic power through control of these maritime chokepoints.
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Britain secured Gibraltar, Suez, Aden, Singapore, and Malta, ensuring a continuous line of control from the Atlantic to the Pacific.
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The United States mirrored this system in the 20th century, establishing strategic bases and alliances in Panama, Hawaii, Guam, Bahrain, and Diego Garcia.
This global network allows Washington to monitor maritime traffic, protect trade, and deter rivals like China or Russia.
5. The 21st Century: New Challenges to American Thalassocracy
5.1 Maritime Power in the Age of Globalization
Today, over 90% of global trade still moves by sea.
This means that control of the oceans remains the foundation of world power.
The United States maintains an unmatched maritime capability, with 11 aircraft carrier strike groups and a presence in every ocean.
However, new competitors are emerging:
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China, through its “String of Pearls” strategy, is building ports and naval facilities from Gwadar (Pakistan) to Djibouti (Africa).
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Russia is reinforcing its presence in the Black Sea, the Arctic, and the Eastern Mediterranean.
The struggle for sea control is once again shaping the global balance of power.
5.2 Strategic Straits in a Multipolar World
In today’s multipolar order, straits and chokepoints have regained critical importance.
Controlling Hormuz or Malacca can affect global energy flows; holding Suez or Gibraltar influences trade between Europe, Africa, and Asia.
The South China Sea exemplifies this new maritime rivalry:
China’s island-building campaign and the U.S. freedom-of-navigation operations reflect a silent struggle for control of strategic routes that carry one-third of global trade.
Conclusion
The British and American thalassocracies have shaped the modern world.
From the Royal Navy’s global empire to the U.S. Navy’s worldwide presence, the same geopolitical rule applies:
Who controls the straits, controls the trade. Who controls the trade, controls the world.
The mastery of the seas—through fleets, bases, and chokepoints—remains the foundation of global influence.
As new powers rise, maritime geopolitics once again becomes the decisive arena where the future balance of world power will be determined.