scratch a liberal and you'll find a fascist

proverb

People who identify as liberals (usually rather than leftists) are not uncomfortable with fascist beliefs.

Similar
scratch a liberal and a fascist bleeds
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Meanings

proverb
  1. derogatorygovernmentPeople who identify as liberals (usually rather than leftists) are not uncomfortable with fascist beliefs.

    Scratch a liberal and you'll find a fascist, they say - this book does just that, not only with the author but with the Rt. Hon. Joe Grimond M.P. who provided the introduction to the book.

    1982, Stuart Christie, “Left, Right: The March of Political Extremism in Britain, by John Tomlison published by John Calder at £4.95 [Book Review]”, in Anarchist Review, number 6, Cienfuegos Press, page 42 of 42-43
    1 more example

    I have a friend in the poverty movement named Larry Carter Center. He always had this saying, "scratch a liberal and you'll find a fascist." I believe he's got a valid point. The limousine liberals who *are* in a position for lending a hand-up to those struggling with deep poverty are precisely the ones who chop us off at the knees.

    2009 August 23, Jacqueline S. Homan, Barbara's Blog: Barbara Ehrenreich Comments on Working in America (comment), archived from the original on 08 Apr 2010

    Synonyms: scratch a liberal and a fascist bleeds

Synonyms & antonyms

proverbPeople who identify as liberals (usually rather than leftists) are not uncomfortable with fascist beliefs.

Similar
scratch a liberal and a fascist bleeds
Also see
scratch a liberal and a fascist bleeds

Origin

Originated with the Black Panther Party. One of the variations of the proverb formula scratch (somebody) and you'll find (somebody else). Compare for example Russian поскреби русского - найдёшь татарина (poskrebi russkovo - najdjóšʹ tatarina, “scratch a Russian and you'll find a Tatar”).

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

scratch a liberal and you'll find a fascist. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/scratch%20a%20liberal%20and%20you'll%20find%20a%20fascist

MLA

“scratch a liberal and you'll find a fascist.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/scratch%20a%20liberal%20and%20you'll%20find%20a%20fascist. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “scratch a liberal and you'll find a fascist,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/scratch%20a%20liberal%20and%20you'll%20find%20a%20fascist.

Source: scratch a liberal and you'll find a fascist on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.