The Paradoxical Ways of the American Democracy

1
The Paradoxical Ways of the American Democracy
The Red Scare, McCarthyism, Blacklisting, and how
they influenced life on the Home Front
Emily Weingart and Sarah Steinmetz
2
Thesis
The United States completely contradicted itself
through the phenomenon of McCarthyism, the Red
Scare, and blacklisting during the time of the
Cold War.
3
Communism A system of government in which the
state plans and controls the economy and a
single, often authoritarian party holds power,
claiming to make progress toward a higher social
order in which all goods are equally shared by
the people. (Soviet Communism)
Democracy Government by the people, exercised
either directly or through elected
representatives.
4
A time in American history when people feared
communism leaking into the American government
RED SCARE
hhttp//iws.ccccd.edu/kwilkison/Online1302home/20t
h20Century/redsca1.jpg//www.loc.gov/rr/print/swa
nn/herblock/images/s03380u.jpg
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Joseph McCarthy

• McCarthyism the accusation of suspected
  communists without substantial evidence

• Claimed to have a list of communists in the
  American government

• McCarthy and the Republicans used the issue of
  communism to try to win the election

http//www.loc.gov/rr/print/swann/herblock/images/
s03380u.jpg
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Blacklisting

• The practice in which McCarthy and other
  government officials accused people of being
  communists

• Those who were blacklisted suffered greatly

• The Wagner act (1935) greatly limited
  blacklisting

• Among many others, people in Hollywood were
  blacklisted

http//blogs.warwick.ac.uk/images/ajtaylor/2004/12
/19/mccarthy.jpg
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HUAC
(House of Un-American Activities Committee)

• A committee of people that were pro-McCarthy

• Held hearings and were responsible for the
  blacklisting of many individuals

• Focused on the investigation of Communist
  influences in films

http//www.peterkuper.com/stock_jpgs_i/images/HUAC
2_i.jpg
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If theres one principle that I do understand I
am not willing, now or in the future, to bring
bad trouble to people who, in my past association
with them, were completely innocent of any talk
or any action that was disloyal or subversive

Letter from Lillian Hellman to the HUAC
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The Rosenbergs

• Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were on trial as
  accused Communists

http//www.fiftiesweb.com/pop/rosenberg2.jpg

• They were found guilty and executed as a result

• Klaus Fuchs, Harry Gold, and David Greenglass
  lead to the Rosenberg trial

• One of the most controversial trials of the
  twentieth century

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Life on the Home Front Democratic or Communist?
Democracy
Communism
McCarthyism
The Red Scare
Blacklisting
HUAC
The Rosenbergs
Communism
Democracy
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Although life on the home front was seemingly
democratic, a lot of the actions and regimes
carried out by politicians were very similar to
Communism
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Although many of the actions that took place on
the homefront attempted to fight communism, these
precautions were carried out in a dictatorial
manner that contradicted the ways of the U.S.
democracy.
13
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