A general theory of conflict and violence (Ross, forthcoming) can help in understanding the relationship between internal and external conflict. Looking at a sample of 90 preindustrial societies supports the proposition that the two have a moderate, positive relationship. More important, however, the analysis identifies conditions under which the two forms of political conflict are associated, and those under which they are differentiated. The strength and patterns of cross-cutting ties are very different in societies in which internal and external conflict covary and societies in which internal and external conflict are independent. Similarly, the structural features of society are central determinants of whether targets of overt aggression are within a society, located outside it, or both. Finally, dispositional (psychocultural) characteristics found in a society are the best predictors of overall conflict levels, but are not useful in distinguishing between internal and external targets. In the conclusion the elements of a general theory of conflict involving both structural and dispositional considerations are elaborated.
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