Political Powers Before and After WWI

In this essay, I will be discussing the World Orders before World War One and the governments that came out of the war. Also, I will focus on answering the following questions: a) If I think Liberal Capitalism was viable, and b) If there was a third alternative to Imperialism or Liberal Capitalism.

First of all, Imperialism was the main type of government before the war, and for many, one of the main reasons to go to war. Imperialism was all about control and making money. Bagby, a professor at WVU sums it up when writing, "Europeans had constructed great national states, which, by virtue of their political, economic, and intellectual development, made Europe the chief center of power." He also goes on to explain how even though Europe was a powerful country it was also divided. We had a ballgame on our hands featuring the Central Powers, Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy and the Triple Alliance of Great Britain, France, and Russia. With this many countries being on top of the world and thinking of themselves as power houses, not to mention, competing for the most powerful empire, disaster is in the making. Each country's main goal was to monopolize natural resources, trade, and labor. As each European power took over its own colonies, the struggle to maintain the most powerful empire became uncontrollable. This want to support the "motherland" also introduced what we call Nationalism. Not only was the fight to maintain power a concern, but also the loyalty of all these small colonies became a distraction. This social phenomenon of loyalty to a certain culture and group defined by a particular nation created a large division in Europe.
Europe became a country at war with itself because the fear and determination to stay on top overcame these powerful empires. When the heir of Austria-Hungry was assassinated during a trip to the capital of Bosnia, Sarajevo, the commitment of war was inevitable.