Hobson's Choice for the American Maritime Industry: The Navy or Nothing
Abstract
Thomas Hobson, born 1544, kept a livery stable in Cambridge, England. He was not of the-customer-is-always-right school. Gentlemen who showed up at his stable for a horse were required to take either the horse nearest the stable door or none. Thus, "Hobson's choice" became an idiom for no choice at all. Those who work in America's maritime fields are increasingly funneled into such a choice: defense and government work-or none. The U.S. Navy's growing share of the American maritime industry carries no benefit. In fact, nothing could be more detrimental to America's long-term endurance as the world's greatest seagoing power. If there is one problem vexing the Navy today, it is the difficulty of maintaining a reasonably sized force for a reasonable cost. While there is ample room to improve efficiency within the Navy itself, it would be futile to confront this challenge without also developing a plan to improve America's commercial maritime sector. American maritime power has traditionally resembled a pyramid, with a vigorous commercial shipping and shipbuilding industry at the base and a powerful Navy at the top. Today, the pyramid is inverted. We have an anemic commercial shipping fleet and virtually no large-scale commercial ship construction--yet we maintain a preeminent naval force. For perspective, this essay first examines the history of the interaction between America's commercial maritime industries and the Navy; next, it reviews this relationship's current troubled state; and finally, it ponders some solutions for correcting a 40-year slide toward a spear tip without a shaft.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 01, 2008
- Accession Number
- ADA517319
Entities
People
- Douglas T. Tastad
Organizations
- National Defense University