SIWPS Member Jack Snyder argues in a new article that the paradox of 1914 – that all the great powers viewed it a favorable time to go to war –  can be explained by the way in which alliance anxieties and domestic political conditions shaped each great power’s strategic calculations.

“Better Now than Later: the Paradox of 1914 as Everyone’s Favored Year for War” appears in the Summer 2014 issue of International Security.

For a limited time, read the full article for free on the International Security website.  Or click here for a PDF.