To what extent did the alliance system cause the First World War?

The alliance system alone did not cause the First World War. It was the result of a combination of factors which together shaped a European climate which made the outbreak of a war inevitable. Assuming that the alliance system was one of the factors involved, we must also assess events within Europe which actually allowed the creation of the alliance system. The primary origins of the First World War lie in the emergence of nationalism …

…the consequence, that if one part in Europe was involved in war, the rest would immediately be drawn into it as well. But if certain developments, such as economic and naval rivalry, had not occurred, then the establishment of the alliance system had not been necessary at all. As before every war, the responsibility mainly lies with the Powers' inability or reluctance to endure territorial, economic or loss of power by means other than war.