World war one: imperialism

             Throughout history, nothing has been more devastating and as destructive as war.
             Poverty, pain, depression, isolation, starvation and death have been some primary
             consequences. World War I is an example of these consequences. Although one can say that there were many causes of the war such as Nationalism, Capitalism and Industrialism, it is apparent that the root cause was Imperialism.
             Imperialism was the product of a multiple number of determinant factors. It was motivated by a need for control of raw materials, for political, cultural and economic power, and for dominance in the markets. The attitude for Imperialism was mainly that of Social Darwinism. The greed and rivalry amongst nations to gain colonies to ultimately achieve economical and political stability, fuelled the engine of the World War I machine.
             Imperialism, the creation of overseas empires through conquest, had led to frequent disputes among the powers over the years. Disputes over colonies and commerce were an unceasing threat to peace during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, and the most influential cause of World War I from the development of a war climate, to the continuing imperial strategies employed during the war. The primary purpose of Imperialist policies were to facilitate the acquisition of as much foreign territory as possible, for as a source of raw materials and also in order to provide real or potential markets for manufactures.
             Great Britain, Germany and France needed foreign markets after the increase in manufacturing caused by the Industrial Revolution. These countries competed for economic expansion in Africa. Although Britain and France resolved their differences in Africa, several crises foreshadowing the war involved the clash of Germany against Britain and France in North Africa. In the Middle East, the crumbling Ottoman Empire was alluring to Austria-Hungary, the Balkans and Russia.
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