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The causes of McCarthyism reach back to the early 1900's with the first Red Scare. Other causes include the
Russian expansion after World War II, the Truman doctrine and Marshall plan, the Berlin Blockade and
creation of NATO, the loss of the China Hands and the "fall" of China, the Atomic Spy cases, the police action
in Korea, the Truman loyalty oaths, and the McCarran Act. These factors contributed to the public fear of
communist expansion. There was, however, another important pre-condition; there had been nearly 20 years
of progressivism and the public was tired of it, they could not keep up with the changes. The common men who
were down and out in the 30's would tolerate the changes because they wanted economic conditions to
improve; by 1950, the common men had been brought out of the depression and had a lot of buying power. Now
that they personally did not need more improvement, they forgot the past, and went against the `New' Dealism
that they associated with Communism. |