4 The Primacy of Policy and the ‘Trinity’ in Clausewitz's Mature Thought

Abstract This chapter discusses the place of Clausewitz's famous ‘trinity’ in his larger theoretical scheme, with an eye to universalizing Clausewitzian theory as the basis for comparative military-political studies. Through linguistic, cultural, and psychological lenses, it examines critically existing English translations of the relevant section of On War and provides suggestions for revisions. Specific issues covered include ‘trinity’ as a word-choice; the difficulty some scholars have demonstrated in accurately enumerating the elements of the trinity; the significance of varying translations of Clausewitz's term politik (e.g., policy, politics); and the character of war's ‘instrumentality’ in the realm of politics.