McCarthyism and McCarthyism and The CrucibleThe CrucibleConnections – Connections – Research PaperResearch Paper

America vs. RussiaAmerica vs. Russia• post-WWII – America post-WWII – America

and Russia uneasyand Russia uneasy• based on opposing based on opposing

ideologiesideologies– capitalismcapitalism– communismcommunism

• each rapidly expanding each rapidly expanding political influence political influence through Europe and the through Europe and the developing countriesdeveloping countries

CapitalismCapitalism• capitalism:capitalism:

– an economic system characterized by an economic system characterized by private or corporate ownership of private or corporate ownership of capital goods, and by prices, capital goods, and by prices, production, and the distribution of production, and the distribution of goods that are determined mainly by goods that are determined mainly by competition in a free marketcompetition in a free market

CommunismCommunism• communism:communism:

– aa :: a theory advocating elimination of a theory advocating elimination of private property private property

– bb :: a system in which goods are owned in a system in which goods are owned in common and are available to all as neededcommon and are available to all as needed

– cc :: a totalitarian system of government in a totalitarian system of government in which a single authoritarian party controls which a single authoritarian party controls state-owned means of productionstate-owned means of production

The Cold War begins… The Cold War begins… • began in 1947began in 1947• both powers began to view each other as both powers began to view each other as

deadly enemiesdeadly enemies• Cold WarCold War

– 11 :: a conflict over ideological differences a conflict over ideological differences carried on by methods short of sustained overt carried on by methods short of sustained overt military action and usually without breaking off military action and usually without breaking off diplomatic relationsdiplomatic relations

– 22 :: a condition of rivalry, mistrust, and often a condition of rivalry, mistrust, and often open hostility short of violence especially open hostility short of violence especially between power groupsbetween power groups

• in Americain America– anyone who had ever flirted with socialist or anyone who had ever flirted with socialist or

communist beliefscommunist beliefs– seen as a traitor to the “American way of seen as a traitor to the “American way of

life”life”• socialismsocialism

– any of various economic and political any of various economic and political theories advocating collective or theories advocating collective or governmental ownership and administration governmental ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of the means of production and distribution of goodsof goods

The BeginningThe Beginning• took its name from the McCarthy took its name from the McCarthy

hearings in early 1950’shearings in early 1950’s• actually began with publication of actually began with publication of

Attorney-General’s List in 1947Attorney-General’s List in 1947– published by the House Un-American published by the House Un-American

Activities Committee (HUAC)Activities Committee (HUAC)

Attorney-General’s ListAttorney-General’s List• contained names of people with ties to contained names of people with ties to

communist organizationscommunist organizations• this list later expanded to become “The this list later expanded to become “The

Black List”Black List”– thousands of people were forbidden to work thousands of people were forbidden to work

in their professionsin their professions• HUAC held hearings to investigate HUAC held hearings to investigate

charges of “un-Americanism” charges of “un-Americanism” • continued through McCarthy eracontinued through McCarthy era

– often times more damaging than the often times more damaging than the McCarthy hearings themselvesMcCarthy hearings themselves

The 1950’sThe 1950’s• Chinese Revolution had just been Chinese Revolution had just been

wonwon• Russians had exploded their first Russians had exploded their first

atomic bombatomic bomb• Korean War had just been wonKorean War had just been won

Enter McCarthyEnter McCarthy• Senator Joseph Senator Joseph

McCarthyMcCarthy• famous with accusation famous with accusation

that for 20 years, the that for 20 years, the democratic government democratic government had been nurturing the had been nurturing the growth of communism in growth of communism in AmericaAmerica

• senate hearings were senate hearings were set up and the collective set up and the collective persecution of leftists persecution of leftists beganbegan

Allies torn apartAllies torn apart• during WWII, America and Russia during WWII, America and Russia

had been allieshad been allies• fought together against fascismfought together against fascism• McCarthyism changed all of thatMcCarthyism changed all of that

Anti-communism hysteriaAnti-communism hysteria• under McCarthyism, anti-under McCarthyism, anti-

communism hysteria became so communism hysteria became so intense and so irrational, even intense and so irrational, even moderate liberals referred to it as moderate liberals referred to it as a…a…

WITCH HUNTWITCH HUNT

McCarthy and HUAC McCarthy and HUAC HearingsHearings• both followed a similar patternboth followed a similar pattern• each “witness” took the standeach “witness” took the stand

– asked whether they had ever had any asked whether they had ever had any dealings with communistsdealings with communists

– refusing to answer = arrestrefusing to answer = arrest• if he/she denied the charge, prove if he/she denied the charge, prove

innocenceinnocence– give names of those who did have give names of those who did have

communist connectionscommunist connections

Hearings Cont’d.Hearings Cont’d.• if he/she confessed to having once if he/she confessed to having once

attended a leftist meeting or attended a leftist meeting or supporting the leftist causesupporting the leftist cause– show that he/she had reformedshow that he/she had reformed– naming others who had attended or naming others who had attended or

contributedcontributed• these new people named were these new people named were

then called into the hearing as new then called into the hearing as new witnesseswitnesses

Hearings Cont’dHearings Cont’d• few witnesses had the courage to few witnesses had the courage to

stand up to the McCarthy and stand up to the McCarthy and HUAC committeesHUAC committees

• most willingly gave namesmost willingly gave names• if they didn’t know any names, if they didn’t know any names,

they repeated rumours or liedthey repeated rumours or lied• ““They lied not to save their lives, They lied not to save their lives,

but to save their swimming pools”but to save their swimming pools”

The Arts in AmericaThe Arts in America• McCarthy hearings focused on the McCarthy hearings focused on the

arts in Americaarts in America• 1950-19541950-1954

– several artists were imprisoned for several artists were imprisoned for refusing to testifyrefusing to testify

– of these, “The Hollywood Ten”of these, “The Hollywood Ten”• thousands of writers, musicians, thousands of writers, musicians,

actors and directorsactors and directors– ““blacklisted”blacklisted”– forbidden to workforbidden to work

ResultsResults• some left the country, changed some left the country, changed

professions, or changed namesprofessions, or changed names• some resumed their careers when some resumed their careers when

the blacklist was lifted in the the blacklist was lifted in the 1960’s1960’s

• for most, the damage was for most, the damage was permanentpermanent

The Beginning of the EndThe Beginning of the End• McCarthy’s power collapsed under its own McCarthy’s power collapsed under its own

weightweight• government and arts purged over and government and arts purged over and

overover– old lists became tired and wornold lists became tired and worn

• accusations became wilder and wilderaccusations became wilder and wilder– American army had become disloyalAmerican army had become disloyal– powerful generals were traitorspowerful generals were traitors

• public became skeptical of the chargespublic became skeptical of the charges

Enter Arthur Miller…Enter Arthur Miller…• public opposition increasedpublic opposition increased• a number of well-known witnesses a number of well-known witnesses

challenged the authority of the challenged the authority of the HUAC and the McCarthy hearingsHUAC and the McCarthy hearings

• including…including…

ARTHUR MILLERARTHUR MILLER

……and and The CrucibleThe Crucible• first performed in January 1953first performed in January 1953• a slap in the face for McCarthy by a a slap in the face for McCarthy by a

leading American playwrightleading American playwright– McCarthyism called a witch huntMcCarthyism called a witch hunt

• parallels between the Salem court parallels between the Salem court and the McCarthy and HUAC and the McCarthy and HUAC hearings were clearly drawnhearings were clearly drawn

The RelationThe Relation• similarities between the Salem similarities between the Salem

hearings and the McCarthy and hearings and the McCarthy and HUAC hearings:HUAC hearings:– during the hearings due process of during the hearings due process of

law was abandonedlaw was abandoned– hysteria spread through lies and hysteria spread through lies and

rumorsrumors– witnesses forced into dishonest witnesses forced into dishonest

confessionsconfessions– forced to falsely accuse their friends forced to falsely accuse their friends

and neighborsand neighbors

All who oppose…All who oppose…• McCarthy and HUACMcCarthy and HUAC

– people opposed to hearings were accused of people opposed to hearings were accused of working for the “Red Devil” (communism)working for the “Red Devil” (communism)

• SalemSalem– people opposed to the trials were accused of people opposed to the trials were accused of

working for the Devil himselfworking for the Devil himself• both in Washington and Salem:both in Washington and Salem:

MANY INNOCENT PEOPLE SUFFEREDMANY INNOCENT PEOPLE SUFFERED

The CrucibleThe Crucible and today’s and today’s societysociety• Salem Witch Hunt and McCarthy era both Salem Witch Hunt and McCarthy era both

historyhistory• The CrucibleThe Crucible still has political meaning in still has political meaning in

our timeour time• every age and society has its repressions every age and society has its repressions

(to prevent the natural or normal (to prevent the natural or normal expression, activity, or development of)expression, activity, or development of)

• trying to limit various freedomstrying to limit various freedoms• authority of the state vs. freedom of the authority of the state vs. freedom of the

individualindividual

““The CrucibleThe Crucible’s themes … are timeless. ’s themes … are timeless. As long as governments continue to As long as governments continue to

distort the truth, individuals with distort the truth, individuals with courage and integrity will continue to courage and integrity will continue to challenge them. The choice between challenge them. The choice between freedom and repression is always with freedom and repression is always with

us” (“McCarthyism and us” (“McCarthyism and The CrucibleThe Crucible 14) 14) (MLA)(MLA)OR…OR…

(Coles Editorial Board, 1998) (APA)(Coles Editorial Board, 1998) (APA)

Bibliography InformationBibliography InformationAPAAPAColes Editorial Board, (Ed.). (1998). McCarthyism Coles Editorial Board, (Ed.). (1998). McCarthyism

and and The CrucibleThe Crucible. In . In Coles Notes: Arthur Coles Notes: Arthur Miller’s The CrucibleMiller’s The Crucible (pp. 12-14). Toronto: (pp. 12-14). Toronto: Coles Publishing CompanyColes Publishing Company

MLAMLA““McCarthyism and the McCarthyism and the The CrucibleThe Crucible”. ”. Coles Coles

Notes: Arthur Miller’s The CrucibleNotes: Arthur Miller’s The Crucible. Ed. Coles . Ed. Coles Editorial Board. Toronto: Coles Publishing Editorial Board. Toronto: Coles Publishing Company, 1998. 12-14.Company, 1998. 12-14.