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1914 and 2014: Military and Political Challenges Then and Now, a Conversation with Sir Adam Roberts

911 views · Published 20 October 2014 · 18:56 · Indexed 17 October 2026

Channel: UN University · 2014 · Education

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In this video Professor Sir Adam Roberts, Senior Research Fellow in International Relations, Oxford University, and Emeritus Fellow of Balliol College, Oxford, joins UNU Rector David M. Malone to discuss the influence of the events of 1914 on contemporary political challenges, now a hundred years later. 

On the particular case of the First World War, Sir Roberts stresses the interesting fact that it was triggered by the element of chance, when the Archduke Ferdinand was killed. Additionally, the rise of social Darwinism, the failure of communicating that the Brits would fight over Belgium, and the uncertainty of a collapsing empire all contributed to the war. These were manifested in the need of nations to prove their superiority by acquiring empires. On this basis, Sir Roberts draws an important conclusion being that only “multiple causes produce a great disaster.”

In fact, Sir Roberts links the events of 1914 to 2014, by raising the point that the First World War had indeed begun as an anti-terrorist war, - quite ironically, Sir Roberts remarks, with the Brits on the same side as the terrorists. Although this draws a clear parallel to the ongoing struggle with global terrorism, the world has indeed changed in the subsequent 100 years. The end of the First World War introduced a new international system, which had global political consequences stretching to the Far East, e.g. China whom in the wake on the Versailles agreement felt that Japan was left with too much control. 

While the international system has changed, there are still significant similarities and differences that are essential to address in order to refrain from repeating the past mistakes. One particular striking resemblance is the rise of competitive nationalism, which the issues in the South China Sea and between China and Japan serve as prime examples of. However, the political status quo of respectively 1914 and 2014 are not identical despite the repeated similarity of terrorism and nationalism posing as serious threats. Two important indicators of difference, Sir Roberts emphasizes, are the dramatic decline of international wars and the collective approach to security taken by nation states, embodied in international institutions such as NATO. 

As a final remark, Sir Roberts acknowledges the changing nature of the origin of conflicts in the post-1914 era. Although national self-determination still plays a serious role in international affairs, Sir Roberts states that all conflicts in the world after 1914 are characterized by post-colonialism. This applies to the failure of establishing sustainable boundaries and constitutional frameworks, the African colonies, the complications in Northern Irelands, and more recently to the attempts of ISIS to take over the Kurdish city Kobane in Syria.  

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