AHC: Superpower Britain post 1945

While Britain can`t be a superpower in the fashion of USA and USSR they could have been considerably greater than they are with a bit of luck and some business nous.

For example in 1945 Britain led the world with jet technology. This is one area that if pushed agressively early enough could have really boosted the British economy in this cutting edge feild. Perhaps the world of the 50s could ahve been full of Comets and swpt wing fighters from British industry. I think Britain was also well advanced in terms of computers and other electronics, which could be a handy nighe to exploit, and nuclear technology as well, Australia was looking for a reactor in the 50s and only the British had one for sale.

I don`t think the Empire could have lasted, but Commonwealth ties could have remaind and Britian been a major player in SEATO and CENTO organisations. They could have had a lot of clients for their arms and a lot of basing rights, which would give them influence far exceeding their raw power.
 
Britain is still and always will be, a cultural superpower.

What is the global lingua franca?

Even the Yanks call it English.
 
It is true that Britain did squander a lot of opportunities after the war but even if all the correct decisions had been made Britain would still not be an equal to the US and the USSR. However, in this scenario Britain would still be seen as a force to be reckoned with and you could see other nations or regions attempting to emulate these successes, perhaps leading to a world of major (US & USSR) and a few minor (Britain being a case in point) world powers. So in this scenario I doubt the concept of a superpower as a polity beyond realistic challenge will even exist.
 
If absolutely everything goes right after 1945, Britain could probably remain the #3 power in the world into the late 20th century. We would always be noticeably weaker than the actual superpowers, but I don't see why we couldn't have stayed ahead of Japan.
 
A British-led Economic Union of the Commonwealth might do nicely to cement the UK as a leading influential power on the world stage, but nothing more than that.

Free Trade between the Dominions + India would have positive benefits for the UK.

However, demographics would shift the balance from Britain to its dominions over time so the Britain will not last as a 'superpower'. Its legacy would remain though.

A more federalized form of the Commonwealth shouldn't be impossible, just keeping it British dominating it is.
 
That's certainly true. I can see the commonwealth becoming rather unpopular in a can't live with it can't live without it way. Britain would probably be a "first among equals" by tradition (with increasing emphasis on the latter as time goes by).

Comment from this scenario:
What's the difference between the Empire and the Commonwealth then?

The Empire was ruled by Britain, now Britain's ruled by the Commonwealth.
 
Keep parts of the empire and kick out others. Establish more dominions and support a more federal structure. They would have to mainly federate the UK, Dominions, and various settler colonies, with a small bit of representation for other colonies. You'd also have to deal with the debt the UK had.

-Sell the Bahamas, North Borneo, Sarawak, the Turks and Caicos, and perhaps Bermuda, Dominica, North New Guinea, and Newfoundland to the United States.
-Rhodesia, having a small population even today, would be an easy settler colony.
-Chopping up Sudan to keep the oil filled and less populous south and turning that into another settler colony would work well too.
-Turning Baluchistan in India into a settler colony would also be efficient. Even today in uber populous Pakistan it has only 8 million people. Most of the gas and resources in Pakistan are here.
-Keeping the city of Calcutta in Eastern India as a British base for a sphere of influence, and as a place for loyal Indians would be good for Britain.
-Keep the Nicobar and Andaman Islands, Zanzibar, Mauritius, Seychelles, the Aden protectorate, and Bahrain as strategic bases around the Indian Ocean and settlement colonies.
-Incorporate Malta as a constituency of the UK equivalent to England or Scotland
-Keep Israel as a dominion. Give it the Sinai.
-Keep Cyprus as a state under joint Greek and British Suzerainty.
-Put Guyana and Belize into the East Indies federation, and establish that as another dominion.
-Lop the Solomon Islands and south Guinea onto Australia.
-Turn Gambia into a settler colony.
-Turn the strait settlements into one Dominion with Hong Kong, and leave Malaya as a colony directly controlled by both the UK and the Straits Settlements/Hong Kong dominion.
-Give up British Somaliland, Ogaden, and Somali dominated portions of Kenya to a Somali Kingdom.
-Establish Brunei, Sindh, Sri Lanka, Qatar, the Somali Kingdom, and Cyrenaica as an independent kingdoms like Egypt of Iraq, eirgo under British Influence and ruled by semi-puppet dictators.
-Let Italy keep most of Eritrea and Tripolitania. Monarchism was always most supported in Cyrenaica, so an independent Cyrenaica would not have an anti-monarchy coup.
-Give Ethiopia parts of Eritrea and perhaps part of French Somaliland so it has a seaport. Put it under British influence.

What the hell? This wasn't going to work.
 
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