Who started WW1?

I read an interesting piece in the BBC pertaining to WW1. They interviewed a group of historians and each provided a different perspective on who started the war. It's an interesting thing to think about because it started 100 years ago this summer. Also it was the most complex conflict of the time, there were so many different actors that all played some sort of a role. For me I think it ultimately comes down to the assassination of the archduke. Whether or not you like how the other alliances and "blank-cheques" were set up the assassination was the main flashpoint which was the point of no return.

Here's the story: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-26048324

Being a historian, this is always a fascinating question. Who is to blame for something happening?

Really, it comes down to your definition of "started." Things were set well in motion leading up to the war. Years of conflict, the rise of a unified Germany under Bismarck, increased global awareness, multiple entangling alliances amongst many countries, the break down of the so called balance of power in the 1800s, etc. There are so many factors involved in war that it's hard to pinpoint one single, lone cause. Ultimately, I agree with other historians that it was the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand that lit the so called "Balkan powder keg." Had this not happened, the war would not have begun...at least it would have been delayed until a later point.

True. Nationalism was non-existent up until Napoleonic France. After that, nationalism became much more prevalent.