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”).

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