The Economics of World War I

An excellent collective of thoughts that teach lessons through time. An enjoyable read!

During World War I, Europe mobilised for total war to an extent never seen before. Altogether nine countries are studied, each by an individual who specializes in that particular country. The individual contributors vary somewhat in their approach and in their conclusions but in general they discuss the efforts of the various governments to producing the implements of war, and to the motivation of their people. The basic conclusions were that the outcome of the war was primarily a matter of the levels of economic development of each side and the scale of resources that they wielded. Richer countries with superior resources did much better than the others. Another theme of the book concerns the effects of the war on long-run economic development. These 'spin-offs' of the war are sometimes said to have come about only because of the war. The authors analyze certain spin-offs with a view to what their costs might have been in other circumstances. I recommend that this book be read in conjunction with Mark Harrison's similar book on World War II.

Excellent book, particularly if you are studying the Open University A327 module, since this can be used to support TMA02 question 1. However, for any general readers interested in WWI, this book does provide a better understanding of the economic considerations with respect to the major European powers. Highly recommended reading.