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This book examines the driving forces that lead to civil wars. The authors' approach differs from the familiar historical narrative or story, as they differentiate between "causes" arising from individual wishes and "mechanisms" that arise from social activity and behavior.

The latter include early-stage conflicts or outbreaks of violence which, if not checked, can lead to social division and more violent incidents. This approach is illustrated using the examples of the American and Irish wars of independence. In both cases, similarities are seen in the emergence of local violent incidents and the use of propaganda to create cohesion consensus within the different opponents. That approach is then employed on a broader basis, looking at revolution in England, France, China, and other countries.

A second part, aiming to show the reader how this approach, rooted in methods used in physical experimentation, can be used and applied to other historical situations for predictive purposes.