Factors and Causes that Collapsed International System During World War 1 & 11 and paved the for Emergence of New World

  FACTORS AND CAUSES THAT COLLAPSED THE INTERNATIONAL SYSTEM DURING WORLD WARS.  

The working of the pre-war international system was anarchic, chaotic, and unholy. Its salient features created a strategic situation in which war was inevitable. There were many factors and causes, which contributed to the collapse of the International System.

The main factors were Natural, Nationalist, and Freedom Movements against European in the world, and the emergence of new Ideologies. The traditional factors were the irrational balance of Power, Alliances and Counter Alliances, Secret Diplomacy, Mutual Distrust, Strategic, and Economic Rivalries around the world, War as a Means for securing interest, Militarism, the Treaty of Versailles, the Rise of Nazism, and Fascism, Failure of League of Nation was a major factor that contributed to the collapse International System.

Internal political instability in Germany as a result of elections held in January 1919 in which the Social Democratic Party emerged the winner.  A constitution was framed which was abolished by Adolf Hitler in 1933. The imposed Balance of power system led to the emergence of antagonist blocks. French and Russian groups against Germany and Austrian Hungarian group. The outbreak of World War 1 inflicted a lethal blow upon the social fabric, and political and economic progress achieved during the peaceful period. The international system forcibly created during the time of 1815 to 1914 successfully perpetuated their brutal control over their colonies in the world. England, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, the Austrian – Hungarian Empire, and Ottoman Empire remained dominant players in the international system.

The secret offensive and defensive military and security pacts, desire for expansion of military power, stockpiling of weapons of mass destruction, armament race, secret diplomacy, and use of force as a means for securing narrowly conceptualized goals of national interest also contributed to the ultimate destruction of humanity. The struggle for power among the European states was intensified at the highest level, which created mutual distrust and selfishness. They were divided into hostile blocs such as the Triple Alliance of 1879 consisted of Britain and France and after the joining of Russia converted into Triple Entente, Japan was their ally. Central Powers were Germany, Austria, Hungary, Italy, and Turkey.

The postulation of optimists and idealists that the huge loss of life and property inflicted by various wars would make European wiser and discourage them from undertaking recourse to war as a means for the settlement of their disputes proved wrong and ephemeral. The peace settlement made after World War 1 could maintain peace for just 20 years only to bring another wave of destruction.  The following factors were responsible for the collapse of the pre-war international system and the outbreak of world wars.

 1. Natural

The main cause for the collapse of the International System was the wrath of Nature who revenged from European people for their unparallel persecution of humanity around the world. The European Nations since the twelfth century perpetrated innumerable cruelties upon the innocent people of Asia, Africa, and America irrespective of Race, creed, color, and religion. All religions of the world are unanimous that nature has given entire human beings two destructive weapons of prayer in their hands. The Allah Almighty himself has directed entire humanity to use frequently this weapon in times of Peace and difficulty. These are entreaty, prayer, and curse or anathemize. When any human is in need of any material thing or spiritual peace naturally, he looks to the Sky for fulfillment. 

Allah Almighty has directed all humanity to demand everything only from him, as he is the Omnipotent and Omnipresent. When any individual or nation persecutes an individual or nation, the oppressed look to Allah and beseech his blessing. The oppressed groining under suffering seek wrath of Allah upon the oppressor individual or nation. The process of nature grinds at its own pace. Allah Almighty accumulates these prayers and inflicts his wrath and revenge at the proper time. The oppressor individual or nation does not realize the wrath of Allah continues his oppression unabated. 

The Allah Almighty responds to these prayers of oppressed people irrespective of religion, colour, and imposes his wrath in one or the other way that an individual or nation cannot perceive it. Allah Almighty inculcate in the minds to initiate deed and action that they think appropriate but results in the utter destruction and repercussions for all times to come.

 The Allah Almighty instills in the minds of European nations to do something so that natural process may take its course and new philosophy or system in various fields may supersede the old one. Nature decided to reduce the power of Europe and give freedom to subjugated nations praying for his wrath and valiantly fighting for freedom. Allah Almighty brought the unparallel loss of lives and destruction in World Wars only to inflict wrath beseeched by the oppressed nations of the entire world. Allah Almighty destroyed these mighty empires into insignificant pieces and their people face difficulties. Thus, the main cause for the collapse of the international system was Natural.

2.           Nationalist and Freedom Movements in the world.

Nationalism became a slogan for liberation and freedom from the clutches of European powers.  The nationalist movement started by the subjugated people around the World against colonialism and Europeans added fuel to the fire and spread the fire in which mighty empires were burnt to ashes. The subjugated and persecuted people waged valiant struggles and guerilla wars to attain salvation and freedom from the clutches of conquerors. The enemies of one another helped the subjugated nations and people to defeat their enemies. The European Colonial powers lost military and economic power. They were not in a position to perpetuate their control over the subjugated lands where people started movements against them.

The success of the communist revolution in Russia and China was helping and encouraging these nationalist movements in the world against Capitalism. The USA also forced and coerced the colonial power to liberate these countries.  Humanity was suffering under the agonies of oppression, God helped raised up the nationalist movement to resuscitate and deliver it from serfdom to freedom. The Nationalist movements broke the fetters of ignorance and invited people to release them from every form of bondage. The success of Nationalist movements restored to people the legitimate comforts of life that they had been deprived by colonial powers. Nationalist spirit gave subjugated people hope of new life, a new society, and a new culture. Nationalist Movements ushered in a new era in the human history. The spirit of the Nationalist movement worked as a tsunami for colonial empires of the world.

People did not know the basic tenets of politics due to Monarchies in the world. They were disunited and used to be at loggerhead. The colonial rulers encouraged one faction against another that is why they were divided and easy prey to conquer. The colonial powers created political instability, economic disparity, and social decadence. The political, economic, religious, and social conditions of the subjugated people were worse beyond description. The colonial powers had made the world like the pre-Islamic period of the world. The lower strata of society were disgruntled and wanted salvation. When the Nationalist Movements raised voices and persuaded them, they not only altered their political-economic, and social structure but also defeated the Colonial powers by unparallel sacrifices.

No doubt, the outcome of these nationalist movements reshaped the contours of the world and ultimately freed the humanity from bondage and tyranny. The perished people sacrificed their lives for the future generations. The new states secured independence following the collapse of the International System, there were only 51 recognized states at the time of the establishment of the United Nations Organisation in 1945, currently, the world has more than 200 countries. These new states emerged from the womb of colonial powers, which they have forcibly occupied against the will of subjugated people. The desire and struggle for political and economic freedom compel the people to find new avenues that transform the social structures in countries of the world. Their valiant struggle and unparallel sacrifice bore the fruits of freedom from cruel European Nations.

3. Emergence of new Ideologies and Ideological conflict.

The ideological conflict between dictatorship and democracies, Capitalism and Communism were responsible for the collapse of the International System. Russia strived to preserve and expand its ideology of Communism in the world. The ideology of Communism was gaining ground in China. The rise and spread of communist ideology forced European Nations to initiate new ideologies of Liberalism and Social Democracy to curb its influence in the world. These ideologies are imitations of the Islamic concept of the Welfare state. The Islamic ideology was also getting stronger in the world. Hinduism and Islamic ideology forced the British to leave the South Asian Sub Continent. Muslims all over the world were united and the idea of Pan Islamism was becoming popular as a result after some time Arab League was established and the major platform of all Muslims of the world Organisation of Islamic Cooperation was established. The voice of Muslims of South Asia also played a major role in the unification of Muslim ideology around the world.  The Muslims of the South Asian Sub Continent gave innumerable sacrifices for eradicating colonialism from the world. The British could not resist the pressure of the people of South Asia and reluctantly left the Sub Continent. 

4. Politics of Alliances, Counter Alliances, and clandestine diplomacy.

The struggle for power among the European states was intensified with mutual distrust on each other. They were divided into two hostile blocs the Triple Alliance formed by Germany, Austria Hungary, and Italy. The other bloc was the Triple Entente of England, France, and Russia. These blocks entered into alliances against each other. The other block also created counter alliances to curb their enemies. It was an era of alliances and counter alliances. The practice of secret diplomacy gave rise to an environment characterized by mutual distrust, suspicion, and rivalries. The European believed in war as a means to procure vital strategic and economic interests. This perception gave rise to a dangerous arms race in the pre-war system.  This factor contributed to the collapse of the International System.

5. Strategic and Economic Rivalries around the world.

European powers always depended upon their imperialistic foreign policies for securing more and more territories in the entire world resulting in the emergence of deep enmities, conflicts, and clash of strategic and economic interests in the world. Asia and Africa became their ground for economic rivalries. Their rivalries and intrigues against each other also contributed to the collapse of the International system. In that war era, all the states regarded only military power as the source of national power. The principle of survival of the fittest was regarded as supreme. The presence of militarism in an environment of mutual distrust and suspicion set the stage for the breakdown of the pre-war system through war. There were several other elements, which added fuel to the fire, which ignited the fire of  World Wars.

6.         Failure and inability of League of Nations. 

All these factors created a situation in which the breakdown of the pre-war international system became inevitable. After the end of the First World War, a fluid international system came into being in which the League of Nations with its collective security system came into being. The League of Nations was created for securing international peace. However, due to structural defects, the League failed and could not achieve its aims of preventing aggression. The USA, a major player in the world did not become its member and many countries left it of free will. Germany considered it as a grouping of the imperialist powers to preserve and promote their interest in the world. Russia regarded it as a form of imperialism assembled to thwart its new ideology.

With such a perception of its members, the league could not play its due role. The League of Nations’ efforts toward Disarmament was inadequate.  The economic depression of 1930 also contributed to the collapse of the International System. These cumulative factors were responsible for the collapse of the International System. All these causes were responsible for the outbreak of World War 1 and World War 11. Even today world is rapidly moving towards a third world war only due to the presence of the above factors and at the brink of a Third World War between antagonist ideologies. The Islamic ideology will play a crucial role in the future.