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The '''causes of [[World War I]]''' vary from the immediate (the assassination of the heir to the Austrian throne by Serbian nationalists), to the complex (such as ethnic nationalism across Europe, the arms race, and the competing alliance systems) to the remote (the [[Franco-Prussian War]] of 1870-1871).

The '''causes of [[World War I]]''' remain hotly contested a century after the war itself concluded. Some authors emphasize the accidental aspect of the war as an unplanned response to the assassination of the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne. Others argue that Germany planned the war in advance and used the assassination as a pretext.

Political scientists generally say the war was not inevitable—that it was caused more by accident, misunderstanding and too-hurried decision-making.  Historians say the deep forces would inevitably have caused a war.

Political scientists generally say the war was not inevitable—that it was caused more by accident, misunderstanding and too-hurried decision-making.  Historians say the deep forces would inevitably have caused a war.

== Four "MAIN" causes==

== Four "MAIN" causes==

Four of the causes of [[World War I]] are often referred to by the acronym "MAIN", which stands for Militarism, Alliances, Imperialism, and Nationalism.

Four of the causes of [[World War I]] are often referred to by the acronym "MAIN", which stands for Militarism, Alliances, Imperialism, and Nationalism.

==Multiple causes==

==Multiple causes==

What caused the Great War? Historians still debate the questions involved. How did the conflict start? Was it a case of small mistakes escalating into a conflict that no one really wanted, or was the war an unavoidable consequence of deep conflicts? Why did it become stalemated? Why could it not be terminated? Most ominous of all, could it happen again? The war began in 1914 between two coalitions. The "Central Powers" comprised the German and Austro-Hungarian Empires, later joined by the Turkish (Ottoman) Empire. The "Allies" included the British, Russian and French Empires, Japan, and Serbia.<ref>Italy was originally a Central Power, but remained neutral in 1914 and joined the Allies in 1915.</ref> The powers had vast overseas empires in Asia, Africa and the Western Hemisphere (including Canada) that were active participants.  

What caused the Great War? Historians still debate the questions involved. How did the conflict start? Was it a case of small mistakes escalating into a conflict that no one really wanted, or was the war an unavoidable consequence of deep conflicts? Why did it become stalemated? Why could it not be terminated? Most ominous of all, could it happen again? The war began in 1914 between two coalitions. The "Central Powers" comprised the German and Austro-Hungarian Empires, later joined by the Turkish (Ottoman) Empire. The "Allies" included the British, Russian and French Empires, Japan, and Serbia.<ref>Italy was originally a Central Power, but remained neutral in 1914 and joined the Allies in 1915.</ref> The powers had vast overseas empires in Asia, Africa and the Western Hemisphere (including Canada) that were active participants.  

===Ethnic nationalism===

===Ethnic nationalism===

Nationalism and ethnic tensions between Germans and Slavs were the basic reasons that the war was fought.  Religious affiliations (Roman Catholic, Protestant, Eastern Orthodox, Muslim) overlapped language to produce closed ethnic communities which were highly motivated to fight their traditional enemies. Typically, each ethnic group dominated a central homeland, which had minorities, and also claimed a larger territory. Some claims were centuries old, others were new; they all overlapped. The incantation "it's ours because we were here first" cast a spell on otherwise peaceful peoples and guaranteed perpetual hostility.  

Nationalism and ethnic tensions between Germans and Slavs were the basic reasons that the war was fought.  Religious affiliations (Catholic, Protestant, Eastern Orthodox, Muslim) overlapped language to produce closed ethnic communities which were highly motivated to fight their traditional enemies. Typically, each ethnic group dominated a central homeland, which had minorities, and also claimed a larger territory. Some claims were centuries old, others were new; they all overlapped. The incantation "it's ours because we were here first" cast a spell on otherwise peaceful peoples and guaranteed perpetual hostility.  

For 800 years the Germans had been moving towards the Slavic parts of Central Europe in Europe, attempting to push out the Slavs. Wealth was based on agriculture, so possession of land was decisive.  Germany had been unified from Prussia and numerous smaller countries in 1870, and rapidly built a powerful industrial economy with a strong agricultural base. Active imperialism led to the acquisition of numerous colonies in Africa and the Pacific, such as New Guinea. None of the colonies were profitable, but now Germany had a world empire. German's main rival was Britain, with a smaller home population and a much larger empire, well protected by the world's strongest navy. By 1914 under the leadership of Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz, Germany had a good fleet, but the Royal Navy remained well ahead in sea power. The naval race heightened rivalries between the two powers, but did not itself cause the war.  

For 800 years the Germans had been moving towards the Slavic parts of Central Europe in Europe, attempting to push out the Slavs. Wealth was based on agriculture, so possession of land was decisive.  Germany had been unified from Prussia and numerous smaller countries in 1870, and rapidly built a powerful industrial economy with a strong agricultural base. Active imperialism led to the acquisition of numerous colonies in Africa and the Pacific, such as New Guinea. None of the colonies were profitable, but now Germany had a world empire. German's main rival was Britain, with a smaller home population and a much larger empire, well protected by the world's strongest navy. By 1914 under the leadership of Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz, Germany had a good fleet, but the Royal Navy remained well ahead in sea power. The naval race heightened rivalries between the two powers, but did not itself cause the war.