Communism is a political theory based on equality and public ownership. During the Cold War period, the United States feared the spread of communism and Senator Joseph McCarthy led a period known as McCarthyism where many Americans were accused of being communist sympathizers. This created a climate of fear where people could be investigated, lose their jobs, or be imprisoned for opposing governmental policies or being suspected of communist ties without proof. Parallels have been drawn between McCarthyism and more recent limits on civil liberties following the War on Terror.

1. The Crucible, Communism and Senator
Joseph McCarthy (McCarthyism)

2. WHAT IS COMMUNISM?
• Communism is a political theory invented by a couple of
German guys, Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels in 1848.
• Some other political theories are: democracy, totalitarianism, a
dictatorship…
• Political theories can become systems of government. For
example, New Zealand has a democratic system of
government.

3. MORE ON COMMUNISM
• Communism was invented originally to make people
more equal. For example, it was based on the wish for
equality and dislike of social classes (hierarchies) and
the difference in wages between factory workers and
owners, this political theory said that the factories and
farms should be owned by the people.
• Basically, Marx and Engels thought it was unfair that
there were sooooo many poor people and so few rich.

4. YOU GOT IT… COMMUNISM
• This is kind of what Marx wanted to happen with communism:
1.
A communist party or government takes control of a country. (This happened in
Russia in 1917. Then Russia became the USSR).
2.
The communist government banishes private property (people privately owning
things)
3.
The theory is then that the people, the public, will own everything
4.
Because the public owns everything, there will be no need for government, so the
state (government and what not) will be destroyed
5.
The end result is a society with no social classes or hierarchies. (Note: this has never
actually happened. It usually turns into a dictatorship. )

5. SO WHAT’S THE LINK WITH MCCARTHYISM?
• When Russia became communist, they helped the British and Americans
win World War Two. People saw the USSR as becoming a powerful
country.
• The USSR wanted to take over other countries and turn them communist.
China became an (independent) communist country in 1949 which really
upset the Americans.
• The Americans were scared communism was going to take over.
• The whole American dream is founded upon wealth and being rich so the
ideas behind communism made many of them very uncomfortable.
• This rivalry became known as “the cold war” (note: this is a very basic
summary :0)

6. MORE ON MCCARTHYISM. YAY A VIDEO!

7. MCCARTHYISM IN U.S.A.
• During the 1950s, in the United
States, a modern kind of „witchhunt‟ created a climate of terror
suggestive of the Salem witch
trials.
• The accusations were aimed at socalled-Communists, left wing
sympathisers, trade unionists and
other liberals.

8. MCCARTHYISM IN U.S.A. #2
• Right-wing authorities
believed in absolute right or
wrong.
• Individuals were on one side
or the other.
• Opposition or non-cooperation with the authority or
its policies became grounds
for loss of job, being
persecuted by the C.I.A. and
imprisonment .

9. DOES THIS SORT OF THING STILL AFFECT US?
• Yip: The War On Terror
• Since September 11th, 2001,
America and Britain have once
again become extremely right wing
and conservative.
• Civil Liberties are once again under
attack.

10. THE NEW WITCHES
• “Suspected terrorists” and
“terrorist sympathisers” can be
detained or kept in prisons
forever, without proof.
• This is in non-cooperation with
International Laws on Human
Rights.
• Often these victims are
Muslim and persecuted.