"Industrial Export Assistance and State Growth in Interwar Britain"

In the early 20th century, the wealth and political power of British industry grew to unprecedented levels. So did the size and scope of the British state. These two developments were related. Starting during World War I, British businessmen made major inroads in political, administrative, and policymaking circles. In so doing, they forged a business-state, a nexus of power that aligned the interests of big business with the bureaucratic state. In the war’s aftermath, unelected administrators proactively assisted business, especially by promoting British industrial exports through a series of new departments and initiatives. By tracing such efforts, the paper will show how the state not only grew, but also reoriented itself as an active supporter of industry.