This project investigates how the deepening international economic integration in the years prior to World War I systematically influenced the security politics of the European Great Powers and led to the breakdown of European order in 1914. This war followed on the heels of a rapid and sustained expansion of the international economy. As one of the central cases in the international security literature, it is important to understand whether the changing world economy contributed to the collapse of the international system in this period. This project uses a combination of economic data, archival records and case studies by other researchers to test key hypotheses from models of political economy. Aside from improving our understanding of the causes of World War I, this research provides insights into broader implications of international economic change and global economic integration.
