Abstract Anarchy cannot sustain economic growth. Thus a strong state is a danger to growth. Early modern Europe escaped this paradox through city-states ruled by mercantile oligarchies, where prosperity was the primary aim of the rulers. All but one of the prosperous mercantile regions stagnated under the burden of war. Only Britain mobilized the forces to be a great power, conquered an empire, and saw continued growth to launched the industrial revolution.
Standard answers are wrong.
Britain's island status did not exempt it from the military burden. Representation did not check the expansion of public spending.