“Etymologically, the term ‘war’ is derived from Old High German werra, signifying confusion, discord or strife. War is a species of the genus of violence; more specifically, it is collective, direct, manifest, personal, intentional, organized, institutionalized, instrumental, sanctioned, and sometimes ritualized and regulated, violence. These distinguishing features and dimensional delineations are not limitative. It should be perfectly clear, however, that war, or the state of belligerence, is a very special category of macro-level violence (van der Dennen, 1977; 1981). Many researchers have emphasized the continuity of violence with other political methods, and have agreed with the Clausewitzian adage that ‘War is nothing but a continuation of political intercourse with an admixture of other means’.”

– Johan M.G. van der Dennen, The Concept and Characteristics of War in Primitive Societies. IN: The Origin of War - The Evolution of a Male-Coalitional Reproductive Strategy. 1995.

fonte da citação: http://rint.rechten.rug.nl/rth/dennen/OW_C2.pdf

fonte do texto na íntegra: http://rint.rechten.rug.nl/rth/dennen/dennen6.htm