McCarthyism
- 1950's fear of Communism is high in the USA
- Led by Senator Joseph McCarthy (House of Un-American Activities Committee)
- Period of paranoia (1950-54)
- Becomes a witch hunt
- Suggestion of guilt was enough to ruin most people
Summary
McCarthyism is the practice of making accusations of disloyalty, subversion, or treason without proper regard for evidence. The term has its origins in the period in the United States known as the Second Red Scare, lasting roughly from the late 1940s to the late 1950s and characterized by heightened fears of communistinfluence on American institutions and espionage by Soviet agents. Originally coined to criticize the anti-communist pursuits of U.S. Senator Joseph McCarthy, "McCarthyism" soon took on a broader meaning, describing the excesses of similar efforts. The term is also now used more generally to describe reckless, unsubstantiated accusations, as well as demagogic attacks on the character or patriotism of political adversaries.