Britain allies with Germany before WWI, what happens?

But it wasn't anything like absolute. The Austrian half had a chronically stalled but working parliamentary government under universal male suffrage and a series of more-or-less electoral provincial regimes; while the Hungarian half, though with a small franchise and dominated disproportionately by the landed interest, never got on with the imperial government too well. So constitutionally speaking Austria was about as 'liberal' as Germany, although Hungary, unlike Prussia, did not dominate the polity. And Austria of course had imperfect but much better rights for nationalities, and its military wasn't officially above the law.

That both countries were semi-representative systems means both of them have to take account of a constituency strongly in favour of the other. Speaking of which: the 'stiffening corpse' lark is not how pan-Germans saw it at all. They assumed that Austria-Hungary would go from economic-political domination to formal incorporation in a larger version of what the zollverein had done in little Germany, with the eastern section being dependencies or colonies of some kind. Obviously this view was not shared by The Establishment, but then they had their own reasons for supporting Austria; that some frequent critics of their foreign policy were pro-Austrian was, of course, handy.

And who says an alliance with Britain is 'available'? Takes two to tango.

The 'spirit of 1848' died in 1848, when some '48s were shot and others cheered on the shooting. Since then it had split into 'the liberal nationalist spirit', 'the socialist spirit', and so on and so forth.
 
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It seems like it would take a few changes to make this happen.

1) Germany less focused on colonies and thus on their navy, preventing direct competition with Britain.
2) France more successful in African colonization, thus presenting a greater challenge to Britain
3) Russia more active in Afghanistan providing more friction with Britain
4) Austria-Hungary more insistent on claims to Silesia preferably with a series of low level incidents keeping tensions high with Germany.

It takes nothing to make France and Russia allies nor to make them enemies of Germany.

In this scenario I think Italy goes to Germany/Britain to make claims against A-H and France. Japan stick to British alliance and starts snatching up French Pacific possessions as well as at a minimum a blockade of Vladivostok probably a failed invasion. The Ottomans probably sit this one out as Britain would be too interested in their Middle Eastern possessions and Russia would be too interested in the Caucasus.
 
Far easier would likely be a German unification in 1848, with Austria partitioned. That way you'd get 3 great powers on the continent: France, Germany and Russia. In such a constellation, even this greater Germany would be the obvious ally of Britain to prevent a hegemony of the other two.

If anything a Grossdeutschland with access to the Bohemian coal and iron ore mines, would be even more of an hegemon that OTL Wilhelmine Germany. That's not even taking into account the fact that Hungary would likely be a satellite state of this Greater Germany.
 
The ''stiffening corpse'' is a quote from Palmerstone I think .As to the 'establishment' Will they not have different opinions given that they will have different options from what happened IOTL ? Does an economic union preclude a military agreement? After all at the moment the UK is in the EU but is much more aligned militarily with the USA
Also an alliance with the UK is 'available' its the whole point of this timeline??
Economicly the UK outperformed everyone else in Europe, diplomacy apart it makes economic sense to ally with the UK
 
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But I am a spoilsport. :p More seriously that's an argument in circles. What would it take to make Britain ally with Germany? Changed German policy. Why might Germany change its policy? Because it had good reasons to want an alliance with Britain. What were they? Founded on the assumption that Britain wanted a German alliance...

Anyway, economic-political domination (and the German states had indeed had their armies standardised on a Prussian line). They were in favour of close integration generally.
 
But I am a spoilsport. :p More seriously that's an argument in circles. What would it take to make Britain ally with Germany? Changed German policy. Why might Germany change its policy? Because it had good reasons to want an alliance with Britain. What were they? Founded on the assumption that Britain wanted a German alliance...
The good reason to want an alliance with Britain was that Germany wanted to isolate France (especially) and Russia as a continuation of Bismarck's foreign policy in order that a war would either be prevented or won. As it stood (after the Franco-Russian Alliance from 1894 and the Triple Alliance of Germany, AH and Italy from 1882) in the early 20th century, the balance of power was relatively even.

The Reinsurance Treaty with Russia was not renewed in 1890 so there was no chance the war would solely be against France. Britain, therefore, would've been seen as a potentially decisive ally to tip the balance in favour of the Central Powers. Kaiser Wilhelm's admiration for the British is also clear to see, as he states in an interview for The Daily Telegraph in 1908, "Only those powers which have vast navies will be listened to with respect when the future of the Pacific comes to be solved, and if for that reason only Germany must have a powerful fleet. It may even be that England herself will be glad that Germany has a fleet, when they speak together on the same side in the great debates of the future." Therefore your chain completes itself and suggests it's entirely plausible this could've arose.
 
If anything a Grossdeutschland with access to the Bohemian coal and iron ore mines, would be even more of an hegemon that OTL Wilhelmine Germany. That's not even taking into account the fact that Hungary would likely be a satellite state of this Greater Germany.

True. The economic and military power of Germany and AH would still exist and be allied - only partitioned differently.

But ITTL the system of powers has changed. There's only three major powers on the continent, IMHO there will be France and Russia against the stronger, liberal Germany (Even though, as you rightly point out, Hungary will likely be closely allied to Germany thus TTL Germany plus Hungary will combine the economic and military power of). And the true power of TTL Germany will only emerge after 1880 - as IOTL.

I have the feeling that Britain ITTL will be leaning toward Germany and in times even be allied to Germany - at least up to the point in time when Germany seems to win a "final" war, at which Britain will quickly try to end the war by negotiations. But that's merely an opinion, as you're correct that the "blocs" regarded as a whole on the continent are not changed.
 
What would it take to make Britain ally with Germany? Changed German policy. Why might Germany change its policy? Because it had good reasons to want an alliance with Britain. What were they? Founded on the assumption that Britain wanted a German alliance
All damm good questions .As has been mentioned for this to work we need a POD sometime in the early 19th century which changes German policy rather dramaticly. I've come up with one which may or may not work and the criticisms of which are perfectly valid. Alliances are of mutual [but not allways equel benefit] Possibly a mutual rival, potential or actual.What have we got? France down ,but not out after the '70's; traditional enemy of both. Maybe Russia taking a more active interest in Poland and the 'great game'at the same time
I'm not sure that the U.K would want an alliance with Germany[ or any one else for that matter], so we need a reason/s for the UK to need an alliance or at least an accord. Possibly an earlier case of imperial over reach in Africa or unrest in India.
Perhaps if we could have a definate POD we could discuss from there?
 
I'm not sure that the U.K would want an alliance with Germany[ or any one else for that matter], so we need a reason/s for the UK to need an alliance or at least an accord. Possibly an earlier case of imperial over reach in Africa or unrest in India.
What about a more aggressive Dual Entente in Africa and Asia? You still have the Great Game in the North West Frontier. In addition, France could smart from having had to back down from a confrontation with the British Empire over Sudan. It could try to up the tempo else where.

I am not saying that such a strategy is particularly productive. Merely that the Dual Entente might think that stretch the British Lion is in their interests. The British response could to squeeze them in Europe.
 
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