There are three main parallels between McCarthyism and the events portrayed in MillerÆs (1995) The Crucible. These are: fear, ethnocentric ideology, and paranoia. During the 1950s House Un-American Activities Commission, much like in the town of Salem during the witch trials, fear, moral superiority (ideology), and paranoia created a panic. In the case of McCarthyism the panic was over communism and communists. In the case of The Crucible, the panic was over the devil and witches. In both eras, friends turned on friends and fear and paranoia drove people to condemn anyone with even remotely different ideas or activities than what was considered ôproper.ö The Crucible ends with John Proctor declaring ôGod is dead,ö while the credibility of Senator Joseph McCarthy eroded with an accused communist declaring, ôSenator, have you no shameö (Miller 1995; 111; Schrecker 1994; 93). In both cases, fear, ideology and paranoia threatened to destroy the ôcommunityö of people and put in its place a tyrannical leadership.
During the 1950s, the HUAC led by Senator Joseph McCarthy involved the persecution of many individuals suspected of communist activities or communist sympathies. Those who would not inform on others were considered ôunfriendlyö witnesses, while others who were suspected of communist sympathies were blacklisted and faced economic sanctions (Schrecker 1994, 1). The activities of HUAC created a fear and paranoia in U.S. society that resembles the fear and paranoia in Salem during the witch trials. Both were orchestrated by officials who alleged a moral ideology that was superior to those they accused. During the hearings, the crucial question asked of suspected communists or communist sympathizers was; ôHave you now or have you ever been a member of the Communist party?ö (Schrecker 1994, 2). Anyone answering ôyesö was forced to name names.
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