Q&A ยท 3:24:21-3:25:55

If Serbia, Mexico and Spain became anarchist in 1913

A political counterfactual examines how simultaneous anarchist revolutions could redirect great-power attention before 1914.

Question

What if Serbia, Mexico and Spain all became anarchist in 1913?

Short answer

The resulting border, Balkan and colonial crises would redirect several great powers and substantially change the conditions leading into 1914.

Notes

An anarchist Mexico would create immediate concerns for the United States along its southern border. A revolution in Serbia would complicate Balkan politics and invite Austrian and potentially Russian intervention. Spain's upheaval could distract Britain and France, while Germany might look for opportunities in Spanish colonial possessions, including Morocco. These interacting crises change enough of the international situation that the historical course into war in 1914 cannot simply be carried over into the scenario.