Where are girls when you need them?
I actually to a large degree can follow Kabraloth's frustrations - and to follow up my point I will suggest the following PoD:
Gavrillo Princip finds a nice girl and settles down instead of shooting Archdukes. So WWI does not happen in 1914, 15, 16 or 17. Then comes the next general election in Germany, and is as expected won decissively by the socialdemocrats.
After some anxious months the Kaiser gioves in to pressure from both the unions and leading industrialists, who have a common interest in stable political conditions - and keeping out the communists.
So the socialdemocrats form government, and soon invite to an international conference with the purpose of establishing a European co-operation sphere. This immediately become a main cause for socialdemocrats all over Europe and all governments are under pressure to take positively part.
The Co-operation Sphere is followed by proposals about an inner European market, tempting not at least the industrialists.
A number of crises arise in the next years, mainly caused by French revanchism, but France suffer dwindling support to her hot-headed policies and a dwindling number of people in the areas taken over by Germnay in 1871 want to leave the safe and prosperous Germany for the unstable France.
Initially the tension between GB and Germany is erased, as the new German Government give up naval ambitions and a colonial Empire, but over time the increasing global socialdemocratic critisim of Imperialism create serious tension with the British Empire and other still in the game colonial empires. The RN still rule the waves, but against this new threat it is utterly useless.
At some time widespread strikes and riots over independence various places in the Empire co-incide with yet another German socialdemocratic campaign vs. imperialism. This is the drop that has the British cup filled, and the British Government declare naval blocade against Germany while the British Army is sent against demonstrators all over the Empire - machinegunning thousands of civilians.
The world is shocked and most sympathise with the Germans, either because they like the socialdemocatts and their results, and/or because they don't like the British, and soon the blockade is given up. This doesn't quiet up things in the Empire however, and over the next two years the Empire is dissolved, King Edward VIII in excile and a number of republics declared on the British Isles.
While anxiously watching what is happening in the USSR the world is pleased with the fate of the evil and warmongering imperialists, but look at Germany as the almost perfect (but slightly dull) example of the humane society...
Regards
Steffen Redbeard