The underlying causes of World War I were the spirit of intense nationalism that filtered through Europe throughout the 19th and into the 20th century, the political and economic rivalry among the nations. The French Revolution and the Napoleonic era had spread throughout most of Europe the idea of political democracy, with the resulting idea that people of the same ethnic origin, language, and political ideals had the right to independent states. The principle of national self-determination, however, dominated in the settlement of European affairs. Several peoples who desired national freedom were made subject to other nations. Revolutions and strong nationalisti

Most Europeans were optimistic about the future even though these new thinkers proclaimed that there is no natural good in human beings. Few thought that their whole civilization would be gripped by a crisis that threatened its very survival. But there were those who viewed this civilization as dying and beyond redemption. The spiritual crisis that had preceded the war shattered Europe's social order and led to the destruction of the ideologies of the Enlightenment. The European world was now in dissolution of their own beliefs.

Irrationalism was the new concept which looked at the insights of the irrational side of human nature. It was a growth in an act on reason and severely affected the political life. The new philosophies defined human beings by their capacity to think critically. At this time most thinkers saw blind and let their animal instincts as the primary fact of human existence. It seemed that reason was more influential then human conduct. Instincts are a mere method of determining behavior of the logical consciousness. These thinkers belittled those before them and praised outbursts of irrational acts which in some cases lead to violence.

The glorification of the irrational cam from German philosopher Fredrich Nietzsche. Through his philosophies and writings he managed to justify the theory of the German as the master race. He denounced social reform, parliamentary government, and suffrage. He mocked the scientific vision of the universe, condemned Christian morality, and ridiculed the belief of man as essentially good. His critical outlook destroyed the creative instincts , he thought that man needed to stop relying on intellect and focus on the instinctal roots of human existence. He believed that religion took away from human impulse and it was an attempt to hold back the heroic natu

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Europe Africa, Fredrich Nietzsche, Unlike Nietzsche, Revolution Napoleonic, France Britain, , World War, Industrial Revolution, Triple Alliance, Sigmund Freud, world war, human nature, triple entente, economic rivalry, human existence, france britain,
Approximate Word count = 1228
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)