--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I will not call myself a pacifist for the…" description: "\"I will not call myself a pacifist for the very simple reason that if something like a [Francisco] Franco should arise in Spain again, or, for that matt..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f46/murray-bookchin-2587_admiration_i-will-not-call-myself-a-pacifist-for-th_1047865.png" --- # I will not call myself a pacifist for the very simple… ![“I will not call myself a pacifist for the very simple reason that if something like a [Francisco] Franco should arise in Spain again, or, for that matter, in America, and tried to take away whatever dwindling civil liberties and human rights we retain, I would resist them with a club if I had to…” quote by Murray Bookchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f46/murray-bookchin-2587_admiration_i-will-not-call-myself-a-pacifist-for-th_1047865.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f46/murray-bookchin-2587_admiration_i-will-not-call-myself-a-pacifist-for-th_1047865.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f46/murray-bookchin-2587_admiration_i-will-not-call-myself-a-pacifist-for-th_1047865.png) > “I will not call myself a pacifist for the very simple reason that if something like a \[Francisco\] Franco should arise in Spain again, or, for that matter, in America, and tried to take away whatever dwindling civil liberties and human rights we retain, I would resist them with a club if I had to. But my admiration for pacifism as an outlook and a sensibility is enormous. I just find that it gets me into contradictions, as it often gets many pacifists into contradictory positions and strategies.” [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. He opposes pacifism when faced with authoritarian threats, believing force may be necessary to protect liberty. **In simple terms:** Pacifism may fail against tyranny. Key Takeaway Be prepared to act against oppression. Themes politics philosophy civil liberties resistance Mood defiant serious Type political philosophical When to use this quote - defending democracy - civil rights activism - authoritarian rise - self‑defense decisions Key Concepts anarchism ethical dilemmas political violence Questions to Reflect On - When is violence justified to protect freedom? - Can non‑violent resistance ever succeed against totalitarianism? A Different Perspective Pacifism can be morally consistent without violence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Admiration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/admiration/) [Admiration Pacifism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/admiration-pacifism-2488548/) [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Arise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arise/) [Civil liberties](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-liberties/) [Clubs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clubs/) [Contradiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contradiction/) [Contradictory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contradictory/) [Enormous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enormous/) [Francisco franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/francisco-franco/) [Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/franco/) [Human rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-rights/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Liberty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberty/) [Matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter/) [Outlook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/outlook/) [Pacifism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pacifism/) [Pacifism Outlook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pacifism-outlook-2488547/) [Pacifist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pacifist/) [Pacifists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pacifists/) [Pacifists Contradictory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pacifists-contradictory-2488546/) [Position](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/position/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rights/) [Sensibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sensibility/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Simple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/simple/) [Spain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spain/) [Strategy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strategy/) ## Related quotes > [I have a great admiration for pacifism, but I'm not a pacifist, mainly because I would defend myself if I were attacked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-bookchin/i-have-a-great-admiration-for-pacifism-but-i-m-not-a-pacifist-mainly/) [Murray Bookchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-bookchin/) > [ You can read it in history books now, but they often suppress the fact that the U.S. government tolerated \[Nazi\]. It's really remarkable because… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/you-can-read-it-in-history-books-now-but-they-often-suppress-the-fact/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [ \[Francisco Franco\] said they should resort to guerrilla war. Which has a history in Spain. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/francisco-franco-said-they-should-resort-to-guerrilla-war-which-has-a/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [ There's an interesting question, whether the anarchists had alternatives \[in Spain\]. If they did tend to support the government that had been destroyed, what… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-s-an-interesting-question-whether-the-anarchists-had/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [I had relatives in New York City who I stayed with. And in those days, the area from Union Square down Fourth Avenue had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/i-had-relatives-in-new-york-city-who-i-stayed-with-and-in-those-days/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [ \[Camillo\] Berneri proposed that the anarchists should link up with the effort of Northern Africa to overthrow the Spanish government, carry out land reform,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/camillo-berneri-proposed-that-the-anarchists-should-link-up-with-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [ I also learned from reading the left-wing press about the \[Franklin\] Roosevelt administration's indirect support for Francisco Franco, which was not well known, and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/i-also-learned-from-reading-the-left-wing-press-about-the-franklin/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [I think in many ways, the Spanish Civil War was the first battle of World War II. After all, where else in the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-hochschild/i-think-in-many-ways-the-spanish-civil-war-was-the-first-battle-of/) [Adam Hochschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-hochschild/) > [It was reported in the left-wing press in the late 1930s that the Texas Company (Texaco), headed by the Nazi sympathizer Torkild Rieber, diverted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/it-was-reported-in-the-left-wing-press-in-the-late-1930s-that-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [ For example, it's often forgotten that \[Albert \] Camus was extremely hostile \[farouche\] towards the \[Francisco\] Franco regime, and right to the end. He… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-camus/for-example-it-s-often-forgotten-that-albert-camus-was-extremely/) [Catherine Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-camus/) > [ \[Francisco\] Franco's army was mainly Moorish. They were recruiting people from Morocco to come to Spain. There was an uprising in Morocco at the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/francisco-franco-s-army-was-mainly-moorish-they-were-recruiting/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [I do have an intense respect for pacifists, because I believe that ultimately, if we are to have a truly humanistic as well as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-bookchin/i-do-have-an-intense-respect-for-pacifists-because-i-believe-that/) [Murray Bookchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-bookchin/) > [“I can remember when I was a bit of an ETA fan myself. It was in 1973, when a group of Basque militants assassinated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/i-can-remember-when-i-was-a-bit-of-an-eta-fan-myself-it-was-in-1973/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [I like pacifists and people who have a heavy emotional identification with deathism and war would probably call me a pacifist, but I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-anton-wilson/i-like-pacifists-and-people-who-have-a-heavy-emotional-identification/) [Robert Anton Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-anton-wilson/) > [Pacifism as a mass movement aims to avoid suffering; pacifists often say that no cause is worth suffering or dying for. The ethos of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-michnik/pacifism-as-a-mass-movement-aims-to-avoid-suffering-pacifists-often/) [Adam Michnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-michnik/) ## More by Murray Bookchin > [I know one thing: that you can do a lot of things but if you don't educate people into conscious anarchism it gets frittered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-bookchin/i-know-one-thing-that-you-can-do-a-lot-of-things-but-if-you-don-t/) [Murray Bookchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-bookchin/) > [I regard individuality as the most precious trait we have, because without it there is no creativity, there is no consciousness, there is no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-bookchin/i-regard-individuality-as-the-most-precious-trait-we-have-because/) [Murray Bookchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-bookchin/) > [In the 60s there were a lot of things which were anarchistic. 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. Personality is being eaten out, and with that the idealism that always motivated an anarchist movement -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-bookchin/you-see-something-very-important-is-happening-personality-is-being/) [Murray Bookchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-bookchin/) > [ “\[The\] term 'libertarian' itself, to be sure, raises a problem, notably, the specious identification of an anti-authoritarian ideology with a straggling movement for 'pure… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-bookchin/the-term-libertarian-itself-to-be-sure-raises-a-problem-notably-the/) [Murray Bookchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-bookchin/) > [Wherever people defend the rights of the individual, I stand with them above all, over and beyond any wishes relating to how an economy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-bookchin/wherever-people-defend-the-rights-of-the-individual-i-stand-with-them/) [Murray Bookchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-bookchin/) > [I'm convinced more than ever that capitalism, with its technological development, has not been an advance toward freedom but has been an enormous setback…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-bookchin/i-m-convinced-more-than-ever-that-capitalism-with-its-technological/) [Murray Bookchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-bookchin/) > [“The phrase "consumer society" complements the description of the present social order as an "industrial society." 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. I had come from a Russian revolutionary family who simply were elated by the fact that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-bookchin/i-was-a-stalinist-in-the-30s-i-had-come-from-a-russian-revolutionary/) [Murray Bookchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-bookchin/) > [“Capitalism, far from affording "privileges" to the middle classes, tends to degrade them more abjectly than any other stratum in society. 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 Admiration quotes > [I have tremendous admiration for companies with the kind of pioneering spirit and innovation eBay has demonstrated from day one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-hammer/i-have-tremendous-admiration-for-companies-with-the-kind-of/) [Bonnie Hammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-hammer/) > [The older you've gotten, the more respect and admiration you've received.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jupp-heynckes/the-older-you-ve-gotten-the-more-respect-and-admiration-you-ve/) [Jupp Heynckes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jupp-heynckes/) > [I still don't feel I know Hitchcock at all. I find that the more one looks, the more elusive he becomes. But my admiration…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toby-jones/i-still-don-t-feel-i-know-hitchcock-at-all-i-find-that-the-more-one/) [Toby Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toby-jones/) > [“There have been those among us who have been so dazzled by the might and technological wizardy of Europe that they have been rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahdaf-soueif/there-have-been-those-among-us-who-have-been-so-dazzled-by-the-might/) [Ahdaf Soueif](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahdaf-soueif/) > [I want to thank the Greek people publicly for their humanitarian response to the crisis of so many migrants and refugees seeking safety in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-want-to-thank-the-greek-people-publicly-for-their-humanitarian/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Humor is the opposite of all self-admiration and self-praise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-barth/humor-is-the-opposite-of-all-self-admiration-and-self-praise/) [Karl Barth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-barth/) > [“A warm, trustworthy person who is also strong elicits admiration, but only after you’ve established trust does your strength become a gift rather than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-cuddy/a-warm-trustworthy-person-who-is-also-strong-elicits-admiration-but/) [Amy Cuddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-cuddy/) > [The book it reminded me of most is Henry Miller’s The Books in My Life. Like Miller, Shields manages to convey his affection for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-alexis/the-book-it-reminded-me-of-most-is-henry-miller-s-the-books-in-my/) [Andre Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-alexis/) > [... we need to interrogate "reverence," for idolization can be another way one is objectified and not really taken seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/we-need-to-interrogate-reverence-for-idolization-can-be-another-way/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [It may be important to great thinkers to examine the world, to explain and despise it. But I think it is only important to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/it-may-be-important-to-great-thinkers-to-examine-the-world-to-explain/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [“There must be a reason to smile, Miss François. Will you supply one?" It was Daisy's turn to stare. For a long moment they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaime-jo-wright/there-must-be-a-reason-to-smile-miss-fran-ois-will-you-supply-one-it/) [Jaime Jo Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaime-jo-wright/) > [“Let me make two remarks. First I concentrate on the task ahead for 2016. I’m quite busy with that—thank you very much. And I’m…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudia-clark/let-me-make-two-remarks-first-i-concentrate-on-the-task-ahead-for/) [Claudia Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudia-clark/) > [The holiness of the church means that life, as well as truth, marks Christ’s church; the behavior of Christians in the world must be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-clowney/the-holiness-of-the-church-means-that-life-as-well-as-truth-marks/) [Edmund Clowney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-clowney/) > [Admittedly great though these reasons be, they are not the principal grounds, that is, those which may rightfully claim for themselves the privilege of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giovanni-pico-della-mirandola/admittedly-great-though-these-reasons-be-they-are-not-the-principal/) [Giovanni Pico della Mirandola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giovanni-pico-della-mirandola/) > [Doctor Who' is a great part and I grew up with the series, but I've never done anything more than express my admiration for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-lester/doctor-who-is-a-great-part-and-i-grew-up-with-the-series-but-i-ve/) [Adrian Lester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-lester/) [Browse all 1,179 Admiration quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/admiration/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I will not call myself a pacifist for the very simple reason that if something like a [Francisco] Franco should arise in Spain again, or, for that matter, in America, and tried to take away whatever dwindling civil liberties and human rights we retain, I would resist them with a club if I had to. But my admiration for pacifism as an outlook and a sensibility is enormous. I just find that it gets me into contradictions, as it often gets many pacifists into contradictory positions and strategies.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Murray Bookchin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-bookchin/i-will-not-call-myself-a-pacifist-for-the-very-simple-reason-that-if/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Admiration" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-bookchin/i-will-not-call-myself-a-pacifist-for-the-very-simple-reason-that-if/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f46/murray-bookchin-2587_admiration_i-will-not-call-myself-a-pacifist-for-th_1047865.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f46/murray-bookchin-2587_admiration_i-will-not-call-myself-a-pacifist-for-th_1047865.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f46/murray-bookchin-2587_admiration_i-will-not-call-myself-a-pacifist-for-th_1047865.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I will not call myself a pacifist for the very simple reason that if something like a [Francisco] Franco…” — Murray Bookchin", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Murray Bookchin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-bookchin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I will not call myself a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-bookchin/i-will-not-call-myself-a-pacifist-for-the-very-simple-reason-that-if/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-bookchin/i-will-not-call-myself-a-pacifist-for-the-very-simple-reason-that-if/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```