The rising-power trap in rapid naval expansion

Would congressional funding after the Civil War have propelled the United States rapidly into global naval power?

It could have, but rapid expansion might have produced overconfidence and overseas commitments before the supporting systems were fully mature.

The answer accepts that Congress could have financed a rapid rise toward global naval power, but ships and nominal systems would not be enough. The same political assertiveness associated with the War of 1812 could turn new capacity into avoidable crises. New infrastructure and procedures need time to work reliably, with about a decade offered as a rough bedding-in period. A rising power can therefore acquire equipment faster than institutional judgment and burden itself with commitments before the supporting organization is ready.