November 2018 marks the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I, a watershed event in modern history. The causes and consequences of the war have been variously attributed to economic, political, and social factors over time – from growing antiimperial sentiment to the search for profitable investment opportunities overseas.

This eBook presents twenty essays that collectively review of the role of economics in the origins, evolution, and impact of the Great War. The authors look at both short- and long-term factors – including behavioural economic explanations for military decisions and the role of arms manufacturers and private sector participants.

The process of war itself has, as yet, had relatively little analysis from an economic history perspective. While military historians focus on personal factors such as leadership and strategy, this volume shows that the roles of resources and labour supply in an allencompassing ‘total war’ were perhaps greater. The authors pay greatest attention to the impact of the war, which has been – quite literally – revolutionary. Demographic changes and new limits on migration had major consequences for domestic labour markets and inequality.