Belligerence Among the Primitives

A re-analysis of Quincy Wright's data

Bibliographic Data

ID4741996
AuthorsTom Broch (International Peace Research Institute, Oslo and University of Copenhagen), Johan Galtung (International Peace Research Institute, Oslo)
Year1966
Volume3
Issue1
Pages33-45
Publication date1966-03-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Peace Research (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0022-3433 • E-ISSN: 1460-3578
PublisherSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/002234336600300102
OpenAlexW1997288961
LanguageEN
Citations received15

In this article the data on 652 primitive societies presented in Quincy Wright's A Study of War are analyzed by means of the techniques of multi-variate analysis and index- construction. Thirty-three percent of the societies are characterized as 'belligerent' in the sense that they are reputed to engage in aggressive warfare for economic or political purposes. An index of primitivity was constructed based on information on economic, political and social organization in the societies, and the level of belligerence varied from 0 percent at the most primitive level to 95 percent at the least primitive level, which corresponds roughly to what today is often referred to as 'traditional societies'. If in addition degree of contact with other societies is considered, the level of belligerenec varies from 0 percent in the most primitive and isolated societies to 100 percent in the least primitive and least isolated societies. These findings are then discussed

Belligerent · Index (typography) · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Sociology · Wright · Computer Science · History · Law · Politics and Conflicts in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Middle East · Terrorism, Counterterrorism, and Political Violence · World Systems and Global Transformations

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