Causes of War Historiography

Economic:

Eric Hobsbawm (Marxist)

• industrial system in Western Europe caused war due to competition + fostering of militarism

Daniel Cosío Villegas (post-revolutionary)

• confrontation between landowners + peasants led to Revolution

Social: 

Fritz Fischer thesis (German)

• Ger wanted war in Europe to ensure survival

• persued aggressive war of expansion

Jesús Silva Herzog

• blamed Diaz for revolution due to displacement of agrarian workers

Political: 

John Stoessinger (American)

• leaders acted poorly due to sense of own weaknesses

• once mobilisation started did not want to appear weak -> too embarrassed to call off mobilisation, worsened relations

Francois-Xavier Guerra (revisionist)

• blamed clientalism as root cause