--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I categorically deny that. The American…" description: "\"I categorically deny that. The American left today as I know it - and believe me, I am very familiar with the American left - is going toward authorita..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e3c/murray-bookchin-2587_authoritarianism_i-categorically-deny-that-the-american-l_1596437.png" --- # I categorically deny that. The American left today as I… ![“I categorically deny that. The American left today as I know it - and believe me, I am very familiar with the American left - is going toward authoritarianism, toward totalitarianism. It's becoming the real right in the United States.” quote by Murray Bookchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e3c/murray-bookchin-2587_authoritarianism_i-categorically-deny-that-the-american-l_1596437.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e3c/murray-bookchin-2587_authoritarianism_i-categorically-deny-that-the-american-l_1596437.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e3c/murray-bookchin-2587_authoritarianism_i-categorically-deny-that-the-american-l_1596437.png) > “I categorically deny that. The American left today as I know it - and believe me, I am very familiar with the American left - is going toward authoritarianism, toward totalitarianism. It's becoming the real right in the United States.” [Murray Bookchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-bookchin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author claims the American left is shifting toward authoritarian and totalitarian tendencies, becoming similar to the right. **In simple terms:** Left is becoming authoritarian, resembling right-wing politics. Key Takeaway Watch for authoritarian trends in any ideology. Themes politics ideology authoritarianism Mood critical concerned Type political analytical When to use this quote - political discourse - activism - policy debates Key Concepts social theory political analysis Questions to Reflect On - What evidence supports this shift? - Can left and right share authoritarian traits? 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May-June '68 was riddled by anarchistic sentiments, dreams and ideals, but insofar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-bookchin/in-the-60s-there-were-a-lot-of-things-which-were-anarchistic-may-june/) [Murray Bookchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-bookchin/) > [Capitalism has created a situation called scarcity. And that scarcity is not natural, it's socially induced. Along with that sense of scarcity, or feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-bookchin/capitalism-has-created-a-situation-called-scarcity-and-that-scarcity/) [Murray Bookchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-bookchin/) > [You see something very important is happening. 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Needs are tailored by the mass media to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-bookchin/the-phrase-consumer-society-complements-the-description-of-the/) [Murray Bookchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-bookchin/) > [I believe in a libertarian communist society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-bookchin/i-believe-in-a-libertarian-communist-society/) [Murray Bookchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-bookchin/) > [ “\[W\]ithout changing the most molecular relationships in society — notably, those between men and women, adults and children, whites and other ethnic groups, heterosexuals… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-bookchin/w-ithout-changing-the-most-molecular-relationships-in-society-notably/) [Murray Bookchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-bookchin/) > [ The most important thing \[anarchists\] can do is educate themselves, develop a propaganda machinery in the form of books and periodicals, a literature, engage… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-bookchin/the-most-important-thing-anarchists-can-do-is-educate-themselves/) [Murray Bookchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-bookchin/) > [I was a Stalinist in the '30s. 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The system deploys…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-bookchin/capitalism-far-from-affording-privileges-to-the-middle-classes-tends/) [Murray Bookchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-bookchin/) > [“Finally, “industrial society,” to use a genteel euphemism for capitalism, has also become an easy explanation for the environmental ills that afflict our time.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-bookchin/finally-industrial-society-to-use-a-genteel-euphemism-for-capitalism/) [Murray Bookchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-bookchin/) [Explore all 159 Murray Bookchin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-bookchin/) ## More Authoritarianism quotes > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [“The mission is, not to replace old world mindlessness with new world mindlessness, but to put an end to all forms of brainless authoritarianism.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/the-mission-is-not-to-replace-old-world-mindlessness-with-new-world/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [Motherland is our property and we have right to handle our properties as pleased. 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