might makes right

English

Alternative forms

• might is right

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English might is right, first attested in the 14th century. The concept is expressed by various classical authors; a similar argument is notably attributed to Thrasymachus by Plato in the Republic 340a (in Paul Shorey’s translation, “the advantage of the stronger is just”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmaɪ̯t meɪ̯ks ˈɹaɪ̯t/, [ˈmaɪ̯t me̞ɪ̯ks ˈɹaɪ̯t]

• Audio (General American):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -aɪt

Proverb

might makes right

1. What is right or wrong is determined by power and strength; power justifies itself.

Usage notes

• Frequently invoked sarcastically or with pejorative attribution to decry the immorality of one's opponent.

Translations

morality cannot question the powerful

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 成王敗寇 / 成王败寇 (chéngwángbàikòu), 成者為王，敗者為寇 / 成者为王，败者为寇 (chéng zhě wéi wáng, bài zhě wéi kòu)

• Finnish: vahvin määrää
• French: la raison du plus fort est toujours la meilleure (fr)
• Hindi: जिसकी लाठी उसकी भैंस (jiskī lāṭhī uskī bha͠is)
• Italian: la ragione sta dalla parte dei forti
• Japanese: 勝てば官軍負ければ賊軍 (kateba kangun, makereba zokugun)
• Polish: no equivalent term in Polish, but see kto bogatemu zabroni
• Portuguese: manda quem pode, obedece quem tem juízo
• Russian: кто сильнее, тот и прав (kto silʹneje, tot i prav)
• Serbo-Croatian: tko jači, taj kvači (proverb)
• Spanish: la fuerza hace el derecho
• Vietnamese: thắng làm vua, thua làm giặc

See also

• argumentum ad baculum
• history is written by the victors
• kratocracy, kraterocracy
• the strong do what they can and the weak suffer what they must
• vae victis