THE CONCEPT OF POLITICAL VIOLENCE AS DISTINCT FROM VIOLENCE IN GENERAL HAS COME TO REPRESENT A COMBINATION OF ALL OR MOST OF THE FOLLOWING ELEMENTS: ACTIVITIES CARRIED OUT BY AGGREGATES OF INDIVIDUALS SUCH AS A GROUP OR COLLECTIVE MOVEMENT; ACTIVITIES WHICH TEND TO BE MORE ORGANIZED IN CONTRAST TO THE COMPLETELY UNORGANIZED OR SPONTANEOUS TYPE OF ACTIVITIES; ACTIVITIES WHICH TEND TO CHALLENGE THE LEGITIMACY OF THE GOVERNING REGIME, THUS THREATENING THE STABILITY OF THE POLITICAL SYSTEM AS A WHOLE; ACTIVITIES DIRECTED TOWARD CHANGES EITHER OF THE GOVERNING REGIME ITSELF, OR OF ASPECTS OF THE POLITICAL SYSTEM AS A WHOLE; ACTIVITIES INVOLVING A HIGH PROBABILITY OF RESISTANCE AND COERCIVE REACTION BY THE GOVERNING REGIME; AND ACTIVITIES INVOLVING A HIGH DEGREE OF RISK OF INJURY AND ECONOMIC COST TO BOTH THE PARTICIPANTS AND THE OPPONENTS IN THE POLITICAL VIOLENCE PROCESS. THE SCALES ARE ARRANGED SO THAT THE MAGNITUDE AND ORDER OF ACTIVITIES REPRESENTS BOTH THEIR INCREASING POTENTIAL FOR DAMAGE TO PROPERTY OR INJURY TO PERSONS, AND THE DEGREE OF CHALLENGE EACH POSES TO THE STABILITY OF THE GOVERNING REGIME. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)