McCarthyism

E3913

anti-communist campaign historical period political phenomenon

McCarthyism was a period of intense anti-communist suspicion and political repression in the United States during the early Cold War, marked by aggressive investigations, blacklisting, and accusations often made without proper evidence.

Aliases (8)

Red Scare ×6
Second Red Scare ×2
Army–McCarthy hearings ×1
Hollywood blacklist investigations ×1
House Un-American Activities Committee hearings ×1
McCarthy era ×1
McCarthy-era political trials ×1
Red Scare (1919–1920) ×1

Statements (52)

Predicate	Object
instanceOf	anti-communist campaign → historical period → political phenomenon →
appliesTo	academics → entertainment industry figures → government employees → labor organizers → political activists →
characterizedBy	accusations without proper evidence → aggressive investigations → blacklisting → guilt by association → intense anti-communist suspicion → loyalty investigations → political repression → use of smear tactics → violation of civil liberties →
country	United States →
endTime	1957 → late 1950s →
hasCause	Korean War → Soviet–American rivalry → early Cold War tensions → fear of communism → revelations of Soviet espionage →
hasConnotation	politically motivated witch hunts → unfounded accusations →
hasEffect	blacklist in Hollywood → chilling effect on free speech → damage to reputations → loss of employment for accused individuals → public fear of dissent → self-censorship → strengthening of executive power →
hasMainProponent	Joseph McCarthy →
hasPart	House Un-American Activities Committee hearings → Senate investigations → congressional hearings → loyalty-security programs →
ideology	anti-communism →
legacy	symbol of reckless political persecution → warning against erosion of civil liberties →
namedAfter	Joseph McCarthy →
opposedIdeology	communism → socialism →
relatedTo	Cold War → Red Scare → Second Red Scare → Smith Act prosecutions → anti-communist legislation →
startTime	1950 → early 1950s →

Referenced by (25)

Subject (surface form when different)	Predicate
American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer → Good Night, and Good Luck → Good Night, and Good Luck ("Red Scare") → The Crucible →	mainSubject
Smith Act ("Red Scare") → Smith Act →	era
McCarthyism ("Red Scare") → McCarthyism ("Second Red Scare") →	relatedTo
House Un-American Activities Committee ("Hollywood blacklist investigations") → Woodrow Wilson administration ("Red Scare (1919–1920)") →	significantEvent
Oppenheimer (2023 film) ("Red Scare") → Oppenheimer (2023 film) →	subject
House Un-American Activities Committee ("Second Red Scare") →	activeDuring
The Crucible ("Red Scare") →	allegoryFor
McCarthyism ("House Un-American Activities Committee hearings") →	hasPart
After the Fall ("McCarthy-era political trials") →	hasSubject
American folk music revival →	historicalContext
After the Fall →	mainTheme
Joseph McCarthy ("Army–McCarthy hearings") →	notableEvent
Joseph McCarthy →	notableFor
Cold War liberalism →	opposesIdeology
High Noon ("McCarthy era") →	politicalContext
Joseph McCarthy ("Red Scare") →	timePeriod
Communist Party USA →	wasTargetOf
Arthur Miller →	wroteAbout