--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: American imperialism has always been the…" description: "\"American imperialism has always been the imperialism that has been frightened of speaking its name. Now it's beginning to do so. In a way, it's better...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d3/tariq-ali-2958_american-imperialism_american-imperialism-has-always-been-the_5881.png" --- # American imperialism has always been the imperialism that… ![“American imperialism has always been the imperialism that has been frightened of speaking its name. Now it's beginning to do so. In a way, it's better. We know where we kneel.” quote by Tariq Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d3/tariq-ali-2958_american-imperialism_american-imperialism-has-always-been-the_5881.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d3/tariq-ali-2958_american-imperialism_american-imperialism-has-always-been-the_5881.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d3/tariq-ali-2958_american-imperialism_american-imperialism-has-always-been-the_5881.png) > “American imperialism has always been the imperialism that has been frightened of speaking its name. Now it's beginning to do so. In a way, it's better. We know where we kneel.” [Tariq Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ali/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. It observes that dominant powers often conceal their expansionist motives, but growing transparency may force accountability. **In simple terms:** Power hides its aims; exposure forces humility. Key Takeaway Opacity breeds critique; openness invites scrutiny. Themes political power imperialism self-awareness accountability transparency Mood critical reflective cautious Type political philosophical When to use this quote - policy analysis - academic debate - media commentary - activist strategy Key Concepts hegemony national identity public discourse Practical Applications - critical essays - public lectures Questions to Reflect On - How does naming power shift its legitimacy? - What mechanisms enforce accountability after exposure? A Different Perspective Some argue that openness can legitimize imperial agendas rather than diminish them. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American imperialism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-imperialism/) [Frightened](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frightened/) [Has beens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/has-beens/) [Imperialism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imperialism/) [Imperialism Frightened](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imperialism-frightened-308508/) [Imperialism Imperialism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imperialism-imperialism-308509/) [Know Kneel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-kneel-308510/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Names](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/names/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [The only acceptable imperialism is the Imperialism of the Forest! 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If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-two-main-criminals-are-france-and-the-united-states-they-owe/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Today, in American imperialism, the commodity has reached its most grandiose historical manifestation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-l-r-james/today-in-american-imperialism-the-commodity-has-reached-its-most/) [C. L. R. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-l-r-james/) > [Theres no hope, none, of ever talking about it without pissing somebody, if not everybody, off...By the end of this hour I will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bourdain/theres-no-hope-none-of-ever-talking-about-it-without-pissing-somebody/) [Anthony Bourdain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bourdain/) > [As a black woman, my politics and political affiliation are bound up with and flow from participation in my people's struggle for liberation, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-davis/as-a-black-woman-my-politics-and-political-affiliation-are-bound-up/) [Angela Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-davis/) ## More by Tariq Ali > [Scotland's political identity was destroyed, and a huge Scottish emigration to North America followed the brutal Highland clearances. These included every layer of Scottish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ali/scotland-s-political-identity-was-destroyed-and-a-huge-scottish/) [Tariq Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ali/) > [When a country is invaded and attacked and people resist it's important to speak up and to say they have the right to resist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ali/when-a-country-is-invaded-and-attacked-and-people-resist-it-s/) [Tariq Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ali/) > [I think another crisis, which is being predicted now and which will be worse than what we saw in 2008, could bring the European…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ali/i-think-another-crisis-which-is-being-predicted-now-and-which-will-be/) [Tariq Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ali/) > [The European Union is effectively a union dominated by the German political and economic elite. 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I could put up the answers on my Facebook page or website or Counterpunch. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ali/one-could-think-of-ways-to-defeat-the-censor-i-could-put-up-the/) [Tariq Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ali/) > [In January 1961, the United States severed diplomatic relations in response to Cuban nationalisation of U.S.-owned sugar plantations, banks and businesses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ali/in-january-1961-the-united-states-severed-diplomatic-relations-in/) [Tariq Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ali/) > [“Monotonous talk of the end of American hegemony, the universal cliché of the period, is mostly a way of avoiding mounting a serious opposition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ali/monotonous-talk-of-the-end-of-american-hegemony-the-universal-clich/) [Tariq Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ali/) > [I was never totally what we would now call 'politically correct,' even in my most militant phase. I always liked good food, good wines.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ali/i-was-never-totally-what-we-would-now-call-politically-correct-even/) [Tariq Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ali/) > [The war in Afghanistan, the first war of the twenty-first century, shows the United States doing what it wants to do, not caring about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ali/the-war-in-afghanistan-the-first-war-of-the-twenty-first-century/) [Tariq Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ali/) [Explore all 144 Tariq Ali quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ali/) ## More American imperialism quotes > [Canada's ruling circles seek to ally themselves more closely with American imperialism without giving up the economic advantages of membership in the British Empire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-buck/canada-s-ruling-circles-seek-to-ally-themselves-more-closely-with/) [Tim Buck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-buck/) > [An intelligence that is not humane is the most dangerous thing in the world .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-montagu/an-intelligence-that-is-not-humane-is-the-most-dangerous-thing-in-the/) [Ashley Montagu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-montagu/) > [“Monotonous talk of the end of American hegemony, the universal cliché of the period, is mostly a way of avoiding mounting a serious opposition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ali/monotonous-talk-of-the-end-of-american-hegemony-the-universal-clich/) [Tariq Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ali/) > [I am an anti-imperialist. 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We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-aldridge/america-capital-has-taken-up-this-easy-banner-of-world-disorder-and/) [James Aldridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-aldridge/) > [Theres no hope, none, of ever talking about it without pissing somebody, if not everybody, off...By the end of this hour I will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bourdain/theres-no-hope-none-of-ever-talking-about-it-without-pissing-somebody/) [Anthony Bourdain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bourdain/) > [Today, in American imperialism, the commodity has reached its most grandiose historical manifestation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-l-r-james/today-in-american-imperialism-the-commodity-has-reached-its-most/) [C. L. R. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-l-r-james/) > [“The two main criminals are France and the United States. They owe Haiti enormous reparations because of actions going back hundreds of years. 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