QUESTION 12
GS1
15 marks
How far is it correct to say that the First World War was fought essentially for the preservation of balance of power?
WRITE IN
11 min
250 words
What the examiner wants
Judge how far the First World War was a war to preserve the European balance of power, weighing that against imperial, nationalist and militarist causes.
How farAnswer exactly what the question asks.
Demand-wise check
- 1Case for: alliance system (Triple Alliance vs Triple Entente), Britain's and France's fear of German hegemony, Britain entering after the invasion of Belgium≈65 words
- 2Case against: colonial rivalry (Moroccan crises), Balkan nationalism and Austria–Serbia conflict, arms and naval race, Germany's Weltpolitik, the July Crisis after Sarajevo≈65 words
- 3Your judgement: balance of power as the framework that turned a regional crisis into a world war≈65 words
Open in about 30 words and close in about 30.
Answer plan
State the propositionEvidence forEvidence againstJudgement ('largely, but…')Conclusion
Where marks usually go
- Narrating battles and the course of the war instead of its causes
- Giving causes without taking a 'how far' position
Draw this
- Alliance map of Europe in 1914 with arrows showing how the July Crisis spread
Value addition
- FactBritain declared war on 4 August 1914 after Germany invaded Belgium, whose neutrality Britain had guaranteed in the Treaty of London (1839).Treaty of London, 1839
- ExampleThe Anglo-German naval race, sharpened by Britain's HMS Dreadnought (1906), showed fear of any one power dominating.Standard world history texts (e.g. NCERT Contemporary World History)
Mapped topper copies
Reviewed public-source references related to this PYQ. Same-syllabus references are labelled separately.
- Akansh Dhull · AIR 3 · Page 7 ↗Same syllabus reference
- Shakti Dubey · AIR 1 · Page 11 ↗Same syllabus reference
Links open original public sources. MainsBuddy does not host these answer sheets.
Next: plan for one minute, write it in 11 minutes, then get it checked.