Hans Morgenthau

American political scientist

Born: February 17, 1904 · Died: July 19, 1980

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Overview

Written work

In addition to his books, Morgenthau wrote widely about international politics and U.S.

Legacy

His Politics Among Nations, first published in 1948, went through five editions during his lifetime and was widely adopted as a textbook in U.S.

Career

foreign policy for general-circulation publications such as The New Leader, Commentary, Worldview, The New York Review of Books and The New Republic.

Who was Hans Morgenthau?

Hans Joachim Morgenthau (February 17, 1904 – July 19, 1980) was a German-American jurist and political scientist who was one of the major 20th-century figures in the study of international relations. Morgenthau made landmark contributions to international relations theory and the study of international law. In addition to his books, Morgenthau wrote widely about international politics and U.S. foreign policy for general-circulation publications such as The New Leader, Commentary, Worldview, The New York Review of Books and The New Republic.

Stolperstein for Hans Morgenthau at the Casimirianum Coburg.

Historical significance

Morgenthau's works belong to the tradition of realism in international relations theory; he is usually considered among the most influential realists of the post-World War II period. His Politics Among Nations, first published in 1948, went through five editions during his lifetime and was widely adopted as a textbook in U.S. universities. While Morgenthau emphasized the centrality of power and "the national interest," the subtitle of Politics Among Nations—"the struggle for power and peace"—indicates his concern not only with the struggle for power but also with the ways in which it is limited by ethical and legal norms.

Sources and further reading

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Wikipedia source

Cite this page

MLA

“Hans Morgenthau.” thisDay, thisday.info/people/hans-morgenthau/. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

APA

Hans Morgenthau. (n.d.). thisDay. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://thisday.info/people/hans-morgenthau/

Chicago

“Hans Morgenthau.” thisDay. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://thisday.info/people/hans-morgenthau/.

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