might makes right
English
Alternative forms
- might is right
Etymology
Chosen for the rhyme, calque of Ancient Greek δυνατὰ δὲ οἱ προύχοντες πράσσουσι καὶ οἱ ἀσθενεῖς ξυγχωροῦσιν (dunatà dè hoi proúkhontes prássousi kaì hoi astheneîs xunkhōroûsin, “the strong do what they can and the weak suffer what they must”) in Thucydides's History of the Peloponnesian War, 5.89.1.
Proverb
might makes right
- Whatever the powerful want is morally unquestionable, whether because power preempts moral consideration, the powerful determine right and wrong, or power is self-justifying.
Usage notes
Frequently invoked sarcastically or with pejorative attribution to decry the immorality of one's opponent.
Hyponyms
- history is written by the victors, vae victis
Coordinate terms
- kratocracy, kraterocracy; argumentum ad crumenam; see also Thesaurus:bossy
Translations
morality cannot question the powerful
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