During the cultural revolution, it was common to attack suspected bourgeois, or anyone who was "four olds" in an attempt to destroy old culture, old ideas, olds customs, olds habits, in struggle sessions. Basically they kept after someone until they confessed, sometimes to the death. It was a giant game to track down any remnant of conservatism and destroy it. Whatever the motives of the people in charge who started it, the driving force was authoritarian, left wing ideology that the people took up and embraced as their own. Are we close to that now? Maybe not, but it happens quick. You can argue that we are closer right now to the other half century old authoritarian state, fascism, but it's besides the point I was making. As long as we agree that authoritarianism can be a left or a right thing, then I'm content. You won't get a confession out of me.