PRE WORLD WAR 1 & 11 INTERNATIONAL SYSTEM IN THE WORLD

 PRE WORLD WAR 1 & 11 INTERNATIONAL SYSTEM IN THE WORLD

After the defeat of Napoleon in 1815 at Waterloo, the European States were successful in registering peaceful development up to 1914. However, the outbreak of the First World War in 1914 inflicted a mortal blow upon the development registered during these 100 years. From 1815-to 1914, the international system developed as a European-dominated system or at least as a Euro-centric system. England, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Austria, and Turkey remained dominant European states and acted as key actors of the international system. Balance of power, Nationalism, European imperialism, and Militarism continued to be the salient features of this Euro-Centric International system. The pre-war international system was differentiated by attempts designed at securing secret military and security pacts, 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. Consequently, the pre-war system breakdown when in 1914 the First World War broke out which resulted in virtual chaos in international relations. The feature of the pre-war international system can be described as under.  

1.      Balance of power.

The European Nations since the twelfth century perpetrated innumerable cruelties upon the innocent people of Asia, Africa, and America irrespective of Race, Creed, Colour, and Religion. The European nations tried to spread and successfully imposed their cultural, ideological, and political sphere through war and execution. The Spanish-American War of 1898 revealed the first cracks in the system of the European balance of power that had governed global relations since 1815. The European powers were the main players and regarded balance of power as the vital device of power management. The European states acted as the manipulators of the international system and imperial Gods exercised authority to rule over Asian, African, and Latin American territories. Balance of power was the fundamental principle of the pre-war international system. Relations among states were conducted under this principle.

Under this principle, the European states used to preserve a sort of balance in their power relations. They remained involved in the struggle for attaining more power but the rule was that no state was to be permitted to become unduly powerful. England used to act as a balancer between France and Germany and in fact in Europe as a whole.

The failure and imbalance in the Balance of Power facilitated the imminent collapse of the European International System. Under this principle, the European states used to preserve a sort of balance in their power relations and tried to avoid interfering in the affairs of subjugated colonies. However, they were secretly involved in the struggle for attaining more power and colonies, in disregard of the established principle of not interfering in internal affairs. Nevertheless, greed compelled them to vie for the occupation of more and more areas under their control and sustain what they have captured by brutal force.

This violation of the Balance of power resulted in competition and eventually ended in conflict. Britain being powerfully used to act as a balancer between France and Germany. The improper balance of power system led to the emergence of two rival groups first France and Russia group, and the Germany and Austria group. The antagonism between the two rival groups immersed the world in the First World War and wrecked not only the Balance of power system but also gave a big disintegrative blow to the international system as a whole.

The extensive impact was visible in political, social, and economic fields. Their social fabric was tarnished and degraded as they dishonored the social life of their subjugated people during their inclement rule. It really transforms not only Europe but also entire humanity around the world. The world has witnessed that Mighty European powers remain victors with empty-handed and utter destruction. Nevertheless, in a real sense, they lost not only the war but also sank into oblivion.

The emergence of strong ideological rivalry led to the emergence of new notions of the international system and International relations. European states realized the threat of the emergence of German power and its clandestine support to Nationalist, Political and Economic movements around the world. These powers adopted the policy of fighting the menace of new emerging ideologies. The new emerging ideologies were gaining ground due to the failure of brutal colonial policies, and socio-economic inequalities not only in Europe but also in the entire world. Containment of these emerging ideologies and massive retaliation became the primary aim of the colonial powers.

The colonial powers were utterly humiliated and defeated by the United States during the War of Independence. They became feeble and lost the position to take any retaliatory action against the US due to the remoteness and economic and military strength of the US. The people around the world were struggling to bury the colonial powers. They were following the principles practiced in the US. In the process there developed a sense of uncertainty in world politics, which made the international system unstable.  

2. Nationalism.

Nationalism was the key factor of the pre-war international system. Under the impact of the French Revolution and the Independence of the USA, the ideology of nationalism came to be the foundation of activities not only of the Europeans but also of the entire world and became prime of the causes of the First and Second World Wars which gave a very harmful and dangerous blow to the international system. The European Nations since the twelfth century perpetrated innumerable cruelties upon the innocent people of Asia, Africa, and America. The European nations succeeded in spreading and imposing their cultural, ideological, and political sphere through war and execution. The process of nature grinds at its own pace. The European people persecuted African Black people, Asian and American for centuries. The persecuted peoples could not resist and fight powerful persecutors they naturally seek and prayed to Almighty Allah for redress and punishment to these worldly Gods or oppressors and persecutors. The prayers of the entire Humanity reached the sky that ultimately stirred the wrath of Allah Almighty. Allah Almighty responded to their prayers and inflicts his wrath on oppressor nations, who are unable to perceive the wrath of Allah but consider it as an incident.

Allah Almighty helped and supported the nationalist struggle for political and economic freedom of people. With help of Divine Nature their valiant struggle and unparallel sacrifice secured freedom from the cruel hands of European Nations. It was a positive result for the humanity of the entire world. After the end of WW 1, the notion of Nationalism got currency and spread in the entire subjugated world and people were embracing it as a holy perception. It became the main cause of World War 11 which gave a very harmful and dangerous blow to the international system. 

3. Imperialism and Supremacy of Europe.

Narrow nationalism and the expansion of the industrial revolution and capitalism provided a strong basis for the policy of imperialism. A naked use of economic imperialism was practiced which became not the only source of prosperity but also an apple of discord among European nations. The policy of imperialism was a primary feature of the pre-war international system. Several European states had established their empires in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Imperialism was used as an instrument for exploiting and subjugating the people of their colonies and dependencies. These powers exploited the economies, natural resources, and human resources of their respective colonies. The colonies were converted into slave markets. They purchased of raw materials at the cheapest rate and sailing goods manufactured in the factories of imperial powers. 

Imperialism became a formidable cause for the outbreak of World Wars and the resultant decline and disintegration of the international system. In Asia, Japan was successful in becoming a big industrial-military power through rapid modernization. Militarism and expansionism became the major pillars of its foreign policy to establish and extend influence in South East Asia and South Asia. 

4. Absence of an International Organisation.

The pre-war international system lacked an International Organisation that could have preserved and deterred these powers for marinating International System. The absence of an international organization kept the pre-war international system only Euro-centric, imperfect, and anarchic. The absence of International organization gave uncontrolled authority to imperial powers of Europe to do and act whatever they desired entirely ignoring the wishes and aspirations of peoples of the world. These powers were only protecting their interest at the cost of the entire world.

The European powers were the main players and regarded balance of power as the vital device of power management. The European states acted as the manipulators of the international system and imperial Gods exercised absolute authority to rule over Asian, African, and Latin American territories, which existed as colonies or dependencies of imperial powers. The absence of international organization was utterly felt that could have prevented the destruction of humanity. The absence of a viable international Organisation was helping the international system to be imperfect and anarchic. No one was willing to relinquish in the larger interest of peace and security.

            Allah Almighty inculcate in the minds of European Nations to initiate deeds that they think appropriate but resulted in the utter destruction and repercussions for all times to come. The natural process took its course, the new system superseded the old one, and mighty European Powers dashed.  The Allah Almighty decided to doom European Nations and brought the unparallel loss of lives and destruction. Allah Almighty destroyed these mighty European Empires into insignificant pieces and their people confronted innumerable difficulties in social and economic fields.