Current History’s November special issue, “Legacies of 1914,” features an essay by Sean McMeekin, a professor of history at Bard College, on the theme of “Contingency and Catastrophe.” McMeekin argues that the structural conditions of international relations so often cited as causes of World War I, such as great power competition and alliance systems, were in fact less important than the role of chance. Yet he writes: “Precisely because I do not believe that the war was “fated to” or “had to” happen, I do believe that it is fair to judge statesmen…for their responsibility in unleashing Armegeddon.” McMeekin’s essay is available along with the rest of our November issue in print, on Amazon for Kindle, and for download on our website, currenthistory.
Posted on: Fri, 21 Nov 2014 19:55:26 +0000
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