Question

How did fear of the Soviet Union and Communism affect American culture and society?

Answer 1

Americans developed a widespread fear of Communist infiltration into the American government or of an anarchist or communist revolution that could overthrow the prevailing capitalist order in the United States by imposing a Communist dictatorship, just as in the USSR. This diffuse dread gave way to aggressive investigations and the arrest of people ideologically suspicious or otherwise associated with communist or socialist movements. At that moment, the citizens would become distrustful and afraid of being denounced as a communist sympathizer because that would imply in being persecuted by the government and having their civic guarantees withdrawn.