might makes right

• might is right

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.

might makes right

1. Whatever the powerful want is morally unquestionable, whether because power preempts moral consideration, the powerful determine right and wrong, or power is self-justifying.

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

• history is written by the victors, vae victis

• kratocracy, kraterocracy; argumentum ad crumenam; see also Thesaurus:bossy