Without the High Seas Fleet, Britain and Germany might remain aligned

Would Anglo-German relations still have collapsed if Germany had not built a High Seas Fleet to challenge British naval dominance?

The naval buildup was the main accelerant. Without it, Germany could remain an economic rival but a friendly power, producing a very different alliance system.

Economic competition did not automatically create a direct naval threat. Without a fleet designed to contest British command of the sea, Germany could remain a friendly rival and preserve the strong relationship that already existed. The resulting coalition would reverse the maritime balance in both the Atlantic and Mediterranean. British, German, Austro-Hungarian, Italian, and possibly Japanese alignment would overwhelm French naval positions, while the Royal Navy could transport German forces around neutral Belgium.