Question

The video touches on the era of senator joe mccarthy and the house un-american activities committee. how has the government impacted on the growth and stability of labor unions?

Answer 1

During the 1950's, Joe McCarthy used fear tactics and paranoia to convince American citizens that communism was making its way into the United States. This US Senator accused hundreds of individuals of being communist, fueling what would be known as the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC). This committee, ran by the US Congress, called suspected communists or people who worked with communists, into Congress to question them.

One of the biggest targets in these investigations were individuals associated with labor unions. Labor unions were seen as more of a communist/socialist idea. This fear of being associated with a labor union caused a gradual decline in the amount of unions in the US during the 1950's.