‘Cautious politics’: Morgenthau and Hume’s critiques of the balance of power

This article explores the important parallels between the critiques of the balance of power offered by David Hume and Hans J. Morgenthau. The article presents the authors as both proponents and critics of the balance of power, depending on cir- cumstance. For Hume, the balance of power is useful as a means of preventing universal monarchy, but is also liable to be used inappropriately as a justification for vindictive politics. Morgenthau, more influenced by Hume than is commonly recognised in Inter- national Relations theory, also subjects the balance of power to a thorough-going critique.