Morgenthau’s characterizations of the politics among nations in the twentieth century remain a contested, but still compelling, vision of international relations in the twenty-first century. Hence, different strains of ‘critical theory’ are needed as the means of crisis detection, interpretation and legitimation. Without accepting the terms of Morgenthau’s analysis uncritically, this article looks at how critical theory insights, as developed in different streams of Frankfurt School-inspired critique, can arguably guide new discourse coalitions and policy experts in coping with the challenges of crises in the post-Cold War world. The contradictions posed by the inequities of social wealth’s production and distribution are profound and obdurate. Exerting verdictive power, like Morgenthau, in managing the global crises, national security challenges or financial instability conflicts, can be useful.