The nature of conflict.

• A. Inter-State conflict
• B. Trade disputes
• C. Intra-State conflict
• D. Cyber warfare

Answer: (A)

Conflict in the international arena is typically understood by who is involved. The fundamental distinction is between disputes that occur between states and those that erupt inside a single country. When we talk about the nature of conflict in a broad, international sense, the defining form is inter-state conflict—armed or hostile interactions between states, with the states as the primary actors. Trade disputes are about economic policy and can strain relations without armed confrontation. Intra-state conflict happens within a country’s borders, often involving factions internal to that state. Cyber warfare describes a modern method of attack that can occur in various contexts, but it’s a modality rather than the basic category of the conflict’s nature. Therefore, inter-state conflict best captures the nature of conflict in this framing.