--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We forget today that Britain still…" description: "\"We forget today that Britain still depends for its livelihood and, indeed, its day-to-day survival, on the sea. But the Royal Navy is now pitifully sma..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a9/john-keegan-14504_britain_we-forget-today-that-britain-still-depen_47960.png" --- # We forget today that Britain still depends for its… ![“We forget today that Britain still depends for its livelihood and, indeed, its day-to-day survival, on the sea. But the Royal Navy is now pitifully small and has been reduced in size by the current Government, seeking economies to finance its social programmes. Fine while there is no threat to our…” quote by John Keegan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a9/john-keegan-14504_britain_we-forget-today-that-britain-still-depen_47960.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a9/john-keegan-14504_britain_we-forget-today-that-britain-still-depen_47960.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a9/john-keegan-14504_britain_we-forget-today-that-britain-still-depen_47960.png) > “We forget today that Britain still depends for its livelihood and, indeed, its day-to-day survival, on the sea. But the Royal Navy is now pitifully small and has been reduced in size by the current Government, seeking economies to finance its social programmes. Fine while there is no threat to our security. But what use would schools and hospitals be if we could not protect our imports?” [John Keegan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keegan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote warns that Britain’s economic security depends on maritime trade, yet political cuts to the navy jeopardize that lifeline, implying that domestic welfare cannot be sustained without protecting imports. **In simple terms:** National prosperity hinges on a strong navy. Key Takeaway Defense cuts threaten economic stability. Themes national security economic interdependence government budgeting maritime trade defense policy public welfare Mood concerned cautious urgent Type political economic strategic When to use this quote - policy debate on defense spending - academic discussion on trade security - media commentary on government priorities Key Concepts strategic importance of navy trade protection budgetary trade‑offs Practical Applications - advocating for naval investment - informing budgetary decisions Questions to Reflect On - How does naval capability affect everyday life? - What are the long‑term risks of underfunding defense? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Britain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/britain/) [Britain Depends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/britain-depends-692789/) [Currents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/currents/) [Day to day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/day-to-day/) [Depends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/depends/) [Economy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economy/) [Finance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finance/) [Fine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fine/) [Forget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forget/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Has beens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/has-beens/) [Hospitals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hospitals/) [Hospitals Protect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hospitals-protect-692791/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Imports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imports/) [Livelihood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/livelihood/) [Navy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/navy/) [Programmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/programmes/) [Protect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protect/) [Protect Imports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protect-imports-692790/) [Royal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/royal/) [Royal navy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/royal-navy/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Sea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sea/) [Security](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/security/) [Seeking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seeking/) [Size](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/size/) [Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social/) [Stills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stills/) [Survival](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/survival/) [Threat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/threat/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) [Use](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use/) ## Related quotes > [What we need is my healthcare plan that makes premiums more affordable, lowers prescription drug costs, will help save our rural hospitals, and also,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-kemp/what-we-need-is-my-healthcare-plan-that-makes-premiums-more/) [Brian Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-kemp/) > [“The Royal Navy had not built its magnificent reputation over the centuries by avoiding battle.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-nicholson/the-royal-navy-had-not-built-its-magnificent-reputation-over-the/) [Arthur Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-nicholson/) > [If the Royal Navy and wider defence is to deliver on the ambitions of our country, we must tackle the inadequate funding and political…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penny-mordaunt/if-the-royal-navy-and-wider-defence-is-to-deliver-on-the-ambitions-of/) [Penny Mordaunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penny-mordaunt/) > [The only traditions of the Royal Navy are rum, sodomy and the lash.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/the-only-traditions-of-the-royal-navy-are-rum-sodomy-and-the-lash/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [“He had panicked. Tessier cursed his own stupidity. He should have remained in the column where he would have been protected. Instead, he saw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cook/he-had-panicked-tessier-cursed-his-own-stupidity-he-should-have/) [David Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cook/) > [It was a civilian ship, and the Lusitania could outrun any submarine. So this population of people was very confident that Cunard and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-larson/it-was-a-civilian-ship-and-the-lusitania-could-outrun-any-submarine/) [Erik Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-larson/) > [“A vast charitable effort swung into action in order to head off widespread famine: a lecture tour of the United States undertaken by Parnell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-hegarty/a-vast-charitable-effort-swung-into-action-in-order-to-head-off/) [Neil Hegarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-hegarty/) > [When it comes to his sons, it would be easy to think that the macho Duke of Edinburgh has most in common with Prince…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingrid-seward/when-it-comes-to-his-sons-it-would-be-easy-to-think-that-the-macho/) [Ingrid Seward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ingrid-seward/) > [“All doctors are quacks. And all patients too. Only the Royal Navy is honest in England.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eug-ne-ionesco/all-doctors-are-quacks-and-all-patients-too-only-the-royal-navy-is/) [Eugène Ionesco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eug-ne-ionesco/) > [“The dangers of the sea should always take precedence over the violence of the enemy”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-bryant/the-dangers-of-the-sea-should-always-take-precedence-over-the/) [Ben Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-bryant/) > [The Royal Navy of England hath ever been its greatest defense and ornament; it is its ancient and natural strength; the floating bulwark of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blackstone/the-royal-navy-of-england-hath-ever-been-its-greatest-defense-and/) [William Blackstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blackstone/) > [“Shortly after Seward departed, a report arrived from China that the U.S. Navy commodore in command of the American squadron had come to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/shortly-after-seward-departed-a-report-arrived-from-china-that-the-u/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Then it hits me… And it hits me with the force of a blow. 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Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-a-meyer/) > [“The British government in 1807 had issued the “Orders in Council,” which enforced a naval blockade against France, and with a shortage of seamen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-river-editors/the-british-government-in-1807-had-issued-the-orders-in-council-which/) [Charles River Editors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-river-editors/) > [“The wife of a junior officer cooped up in a horrible canvas partition in steerage for five months wrote: "I had enjoyed much peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-taylor/the-wife-of-a-junior-officer-cooped-up-in-a-horrible-canvas-partition/) [Stephen Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-taylor/) ## More by John Keegan > [ Hitler ... lacked the \[inclination\] for anything more than the occasional sensational display of emotion, in particular the great set-piece speech which mesmerized the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keegan/hitler-lacked-the-inclination-for-anything-more-than-the-occasional/) [John Keegan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keegan/) > [The historian ought to be an educated person, writing for other educated people about something which they don't know about, but wish to know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keegan/the-historian-ought-to-be-an-educated-person-writing-for-other/) [John Keegan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keegan/) > [It's a necessary quality of a diplomat or a politician that he will compromise. 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Islam was that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keegan/the-islam-of-the-18th-19th-and-first-half-of-the-20th-century-was-a/) [John Keegan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keegan/) > [Well, if they are trying to kill you, on the whole they're the people you have to kill, aren't they?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keegan/well-if-they-are-trying-to-kill-you-on-the-whole-they-re-the-people/) [John Keegan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keegan/) > [“Less than twenty years after the end of the Great War, the ‘war to end wars’ as it had come to be called at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keegan/less-than-twenty-years-after-the-end-of-the-great-war-the-war-to-end/) [John Keegan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keegan/) > [I think Americans like the practical; they like the human. 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It's unrelenting devotion to the standards of duty and courage, absolute loyalty to others, not letting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keegan/soldiers-when-committed-to-a-task-can-t-compromise-it-s-unrelenting/) [John Keegan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keegan/) [Explore all 46 John Keegan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keegan/) ## More Britain quotes > [We can find common qualities and common values that have made Britain the country it is. 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