--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Imagine, capitalist America also divides…" description: "\"Imagine, capitalist America also divides the anarchists into two categories, philosophic and criminal. The first are accepted in highest circles; one o..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9aa/emma-goldman-774_accepted_imagine-capitalist-america-also-divides_2570240.png" --- # Imagine, capitalist America also divides the anarchists… ![“Imagine, capitalist America also divides the anarchists into two categories, philosophic and criminal. The first are accepted in highest circles; one of them is even high in the councils of the Wilson Administration. The second category, to which we have the honor of belonging, is persecuted and…” quote by Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9aa/emma-goldman-774_accepted_imagine-capitalist-america-also-divides_2570240.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9aa/emma-goldman-774_accepted_imagine-capitalist-america-also-divides_2570240.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9aa/emma-goldman-774_accepted_imagine-capitalist-america-also-divides_2570240.png) > “Imagine, capitalist America also divides the anarchists into two categories, philosophic and criminal. The first are accepted in highest circles; one of them is even high in the councils of the Wilson Administration. The second category, to which we have the honor of belonging, is persecuted and often imprisoned. Yours also seems to be a distinction without a difference. Don't you think so?” [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Capitalist America splits anarchists into “philosophical” (accepted) and “criminal” (persecuted) categories, a meaningless distinction. **In simple terms:** Society labels anarchists as thinkers or criminals, but it’s a false split. Key Takeaway Challenge false labels that divide activists. Themes politics anarchism social justice Mood critical defiant Type political philosophical When to use this quote - public discourse - legal battles - activist organizing Key Concepts class struggle state repression Questions to Reflect On - Why do societies create such distinctions? - How can activists bridge these false categories? A Different Perspective Labeling can sometimes protect privileged dissenters. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Administration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/administration/) [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Anarchist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anarchist/) [Anarchists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anarchists/) [Atheism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheism/) [Belonging](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belonging/) [Circles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/circles/) [Criminals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criminals/) [Differences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/differences/) [Distinction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distinction/) [Honor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honor/) [Positive atheism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/positive-atheism/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [It is capitalist America that produced the modern independent woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/it-is-capitalist-america-that-produced-the-modern-independent-woman-2/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [“British policy to-day is as bad as America's despite our Socialist Government. I am a Socialist and a member of the Government party, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-aldridge/british-policy-to-day-is-as-bad-as-america-s-despite-our-socialist/) [James Aldridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-aldridge/) > [It is capitalist America that produced the modern independent woman. Never in history have women had more freedom of choice in regard to dress,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/it-is-capitalist-america-that-produced-the-modern-independent-woman/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [“Anarchism, more than any other social theory, values human life above things. All Anarchists agree with Tolstoy in this fundamental truth: if the production…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/anarchism-more-than-any-other-social-theory-values-human-life-above/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [Atheism ... in its philosophic aspect refuses allegiance not merely to a definite concept of God, but it refuses all servitude to the God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/atheism-in-its-philosophic-aspect-refuses-allegiance-not-merely-to-a/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [“That every act of political violence should nowadays be attributed to Anarchists is not at all surprising. Yet it is a fact known to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/that-every-act-of-political-violence-should-nowadays-be-attributed-to/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [I feel sure that the police are helping us more than I could do in ten years. They are making more anarchists than the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/i-feel-sure-that-the-police-are-helping-us-more-than-i-could-do-in/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [Anarchists believe we can run our lives without the government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vermin-supreme/anarchists-believe-we-can-run-our-lives-without-the-government/) [Vermin Supreme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vermin-supreme/) > [“South of Larissa the landscape began to change. Jude watched an irrigation machine like a giant stick insect creeping over a field, and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-alkazraji/south-of-larissa-the-landscape-began-to-change-jude-watched-an/) [Paul Alkazraji](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-alkazraji/) > [We must therefore turn to history for enlightenment; here we find that none of the proclaimed anarchist groups correspond to the libertarian position, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/we-must-therefore-turn-to-history-for-enlightenment-here-we-find-that/) [Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/) > [The Anarchists are simply unterrified Jeffersonian Democrats. They believe that 'the best government is that which governs least,' and that which governs least is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-tucker/the-anarchists-are-simply-unterrified-jeffersonian-democrats-they/) [Benjamin Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-tucker/) > [Anarchists are opposed to violence; everyone knows that. The main plank of anarchism is the removal of violence from human relations. It is life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errico-malatesta/anarchists-are-opposed-to-violence-everyone-knows-that-the-main-plank/) [Errico Malatesta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errico-malatesta/) > [The modern day anarchists known as the Tea Party, they believe in no government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-reid/the-modern-day-anarchists-known-as-the-tea-party-they-believe-in-no/) [Harry Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-reid/) > [“Where are they going to get a camera? I asked. I don't know, said Noehmi. They'll probably get sidetracked along the way. Or they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miriam-toews/where-are-they-going-to-get-a-camera-i-asked-i-don-t-know-said-noehmi/) [Miriam Toews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miriam-toews/) > [Anarchism is a definite intellectual current in the life of our times, whose adherents advocate the abolition of economic monopolies and of all political…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-rocker/anarchism-is-a-definite-intellectual-current-in-the-life-of-our-times/) [Rudolf Rocker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolf-rocker/) ## More by Emma Goldman > [Poor human nature, what horrible crimes have been committed in thy name! All wars are wars among thieves who are too cowardly to fight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/poor-human-nature-what-horrible-crimes-have-been-committed-in-thy/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [“Do not all theists insist that there can be no morality, no justice, honesty or fidelity without the belief in a Divine Power? Based…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/do-not-all-theists-insist-that-there-can-be-no-morality-no-justice/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [Lack of fairness to an opponent is essentially a sign of weakness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/lack-of-fairness-to-an-opponent-is-essentially-a-sign-of-weakness/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [Do not all theists insist that there can be no morality, no justice, honesty or fidelity without the belief in a Divine Power? Based…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/do-not-all-theists-insist-that-there-can-be-no-morality-no-justice-2/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [Only when human sorrows are turned into a toy with glaring colors will baby people become interested - for a while at least. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/only-when-human-sorrows-are-turned-into-a-toy-with-glaring-colors/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [More pernicious than the power of a dictator is that of a class; the most terrible - the tyranny of a majority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/more-pernicious-than-the-power-of-a-dictator-is-that-of-a-class-the/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [Love, the strongest and deepest element in all life, the harbinger of hope, of joy, of ecstasy; love, the definer of all laws, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/love-the-strongest-and-deepest-element-in-all-life-the-harbinger-of/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [Whether our reformers admit it or not, the economic and social inferiority of women is responsible for prostitution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/whether-our-reformers-admit-it-or-not-the-economic-and-social/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [The free expression of the hopes and aspirations of a people is the greatest and only safety in a sane society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/the-free-expression-of-the-hopes-and-aspirations-of-a-people-is-the/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [Someone has said that it requires less mental effort to condemn than to think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/someone-has-said-that-it-requires-less-mental-effort-to-condemn-than/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [The persecution of the innovator and protestant has always been inspired by fear on the part of constituted authority of having its infallibility questioned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/the-persecution-of-the-innovator-and-protestant-has-always-been/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [Order derived through submission and maintained by terror is not much of a safe guaranty; yet that is the only "order" that governments have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/order-derived-through-submission-and-maintained-by-terror-is-not-much/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [Today is the parent of tomorrow. The present casts its shadow far into the future. That is the law of life, individual and social.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/today-is-the-parent-of-tomorrow-the-present-casts-its-shadow-far-into/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [Salvation lies in an energetic march onward towards a brighter and clearer future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/salvation-lies-in-an-energetic-march-onward-towards-a-brighter-and/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [The more hideous the mental contortions, the greater the delight and bravos of the mass.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/the-more-hideous-the-mental-contortions-the-greater-the-delight-and/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) [Explore all 368 Emma Goldman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) ## More Accepted quotes > [Merkel has realized that the euro is not working, but she cannot change the narrative she has created because that narrative has caught the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/merkel-has-realized-that-the-euro-is-not-working-but-she-cannot/) [George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-soros/) > [I started off playing by ear, and being around a bunch of musicians and playing in the streets and in the different parades and,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/troy-andrews/i-started-off-playing-by-ear-and-being-around-a-bunch-of-musicians/) [Troy Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/troy-andrews/) > [Greatness is not guarding yourself from people. 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