Causes of World War I

1
Causes of World War I

• Imperialism very broadly defined as the
  political, cultural and economic domination of
  one country by another
• Not new, empire building had taken place in the
  New World.
• Imperialism usually associated with late 19th
  century-WWI

2
Scramble for Africa

• Not just Africa (see US and Japan imperialism,
  China). Rapid, Eurocentric view of the world.
• See Map of Africa

3
Why did imperialism occur?

• 1.Last stage of European political hegemony
  (political conflict to follow economic
  interests).
• Marxist view highest stage of capitalism, need
  for new markets required of industrialization and
  capitalism, needed to boost profits. Competition
  was between British and German interests,
  problems of domestic underconsumption, cheap
  labor, need raw materials.
• E.g. Britain occupies Egypt in 1882 to, along
  with France protect the newly constructed Suez
  Canal.

4
Why imperialism?

• 2.Social imperialism as replacing liberalism
  (voting rights, middle class parliamentary
  representation,freedom, rules of law) as the new
  bourgeois ideology . Create stratum of loyal
  dependant workers, take problems away from
  domestic situation.
• 3. Imperialism as a result of political atavism-
  economic capitalism failed to produce political
  equivalent e.g Junker class as remnants. So
  countries became prizes(possessions)of the upper
  classes- irrational prestige.

5
Why imperialism?

• 4. Imperialism as a necessary response to a
  turbulent frontier.
• 5. Imperialism as the outcropping of perverted
  nationalism at home.
• 6. Export the revolutionary principles abroad
  (e.g. exporting liberte, fraternite and equalite)
• 7. Economic reasons- rapid growth social
  tensionscreate diversioncreate ideology that
  would unite otherwise hostile groups.

6
Ideologies of imperialism

• Ideology- beliefs, ideas, prejudices adopted to
  legitimize a particular political or which
  justify a particular political and social state
  of affairs. (Not necessarily formal statements)
• Army elevated as elite the cult of the army
• Popularized in comics/newspapers glorified,
  racist- scientifically backed up-eugenics
  (Social Darwinism) stemming from ignorance e.g.
  animism
• Cultureimperialisms civilizing nature

7
How does the ideology of imperialism influence
the international climate?Joining the dots.

• Emphasized competition between states as normal
• Social Darwinism meant that this competition was
  desirable and natural
• Race became associated with nation.
• Social structure changed radically in the
  industrialized nations as result of imperialism,
  local issues gave way to national, mass
  concerns- pomp, xenophobia, national vanity,
  political parties (parti colonial)
• Public opinion more in tune with international
  issues through newspapers. Imperialism to look
  after weak, downtrodden, exhausted.

8
Join the dots

• For Germany, it is arguable that they simply
  wanted to play a bigger role in international
  politics. They were worried that walls to
  expansion were going up torschlusspanik
  weltpolitik was the order of the day Germany
  demands her place in the sun-needed a strong
  navy.
• Germany wanted to humiliate France in Morocco.
  Russia determined to defend Slavs in the Balkans

9
Did WWI have any profound causes?

• A.J.P. Taylor
• men are reluctant to believe that great events
  have small causes
• Was imperialism the long fuse that ignited WWI?