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Selective Emulation and Strategic Culture: Rethinking Post–Cold War British Defense Reform Through the Lens of Neoclassical Realism



Author(s)

XU Ronghao

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DOI:10.17265/2328-2134/2026.02.005

University of London, Royal Holloway and Bedford New College, London, UK

This paper re-evaluates post-Cold War British defense reform through the lens of neoclassical realism, challenging the prevailing view that such reforms have been largely unfit for purpose. It argues that, when understood as a strategy to “manage decline” and preserve Britain’s status as a secondary power, emulating the military modernization of the United States represents a rational and cost-effective choice. The analysis integrates systemic pressures with domestic political and cultural factors, particularly strategic culture and the Anglo-American “special relationship,” to explain the pattern of “selective emulation” rather than wholesale adoption of the U.S. Revolution in Military Affairs. Examining historical context from the Suez Crisis to the Labour governments (1997–2010), the paper demonstrates that British defense reforms, including the 1998 Strategic Defence Review and subsequent white papers, successfully enhanced interoperability with the U.S. and maintained Britain’s great-power identity despite resource constraints and institutional inertia. While acknowledging operational shortcomings and mismatches between high-end platforms and stabilization missions, the paper concludes that the overarching strategic objectives of the reforms have been largely achieved. The neoclassical realist framework thus offers a more nuanced understanding of British defense policy, reconciling structural necessity with domestic political realities.

Neoclassical realism, British defense reform, selective emulation, strategic culture, special relationship, managing decline

XU Ronghao. (2026). Selective Emulation and Strategic Culture: Rethinking Post–Cold War British Defense Reform Through the Lens of Neoclassical Realism. International Relations and Diplomacy, Mar.-Apr. 2026, Vol. 14, No. 2, 112-117.