The projected fleet was large because Britain expected to cover several maritime theaters at once. Its mature shipbuilding base reduced the problem from creating an industry to upgrading and modernizing one that already existed. Naval construction could employ workers, stimulate a trade-dependent island economy, and strengthen the infrastructure needed for war. The economic argument comes with a warning against theories built by selecting only the historical cases that fit a preferred model.
Notable Point · 13:39-16:08
Fleet expansion also served British industrial recovery
Britain's 1937 plans for 20-25 capital ships and roughly a dozen carriers linked maritime rearmament to modernizing shipyards, creating employment, and leaving the Depression.