What caused World War One?

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Selected claim, supporting its parent

In France, Italy, and Britain, domestic politics had become highly polarized, leading embattled centrist parties to rely on militaristic right-wing parties for support.

Pros

Cons

  • Pro claim 1

    Britain was in the midst of failed conflicts in its colonies, violence in Ireland, and mass union strikes, creating instability. Fighting the war was a means of overcoming these divisions.

  • Pro claim 2

    In France, centrist parties found it easier to stand against the demands of socialists for progressive tax and shorter drafts. This put them in league with the anti-republican right, who favored war and imperialism to a greater extent.

  • Con claim 1

    These parties favored other pro-war coalition partners because socialist parties supported policies that would harm their countries' imperial aims, like stopping conscription, the mandatory drafting of soldiers.