Authoritarianism Quote by Terry Eagleton
““The liberal state has no view on whether witchcraft is more valuable than all-in wrestling. Like a tactful publican, it has as few opinions as possible. Many liberals suspect passionate convictions are latently authoritarian. But liberalism should surely be a passionate conviction. Liberals are not necessarily lukewarm. Only the more macho leftist suspects that they have no balls. You can be ardently neutral, and fiercely indifferent.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: Liberalism and Culture, 2005
The quote critiques superficial neutrality in liberalism, urging genuine, passionate commitment rather than empty indecisiveness.
In simple terms: Liberalism needs real conviction, not bland neutrality.
Key Takeaway
Embrace sincere values over vague neutrality.
Themes
politics
identity
ideology
authenticity
Mood
critical
provocative
Type
analytical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- political debate
- activist organizing
- public policy formation
- academic discourse
Key Concepts
liberal theory
political philosophy
social critique
Questions to Reflect On
- What does true political conviction look like?
- How can liberals balance passion with openness?
A Different Perspective
Risk of alienating moderate voices when passion turns dogmatic.
![“Against what is stupid, nonsensical, erroneous, and evil, [classical] liberalism fights with the weapons of the mind, and not with brute force and repression.” quote by Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/055/ludwig-von-mises-364_brute-force_against-what-is-stupid-nonsensical-erron_1317443.jpg)
