Both McCarthyism and the witchcraft accusations were
perpetuated by hysteria. People were so caught up in the fear of the Communists during
the Cold War (and witchcraft in Salem) that the smallest hint or accusation that one had
any dealings with the Communist party (or witchcraft) would bring immediate and intense
scrutiny on that person.
Many people took notes of this
hysteria and used it as a way to settle grudges with old enemies. During McCarthyism,
bitter politicians used it to tarnish the reputations their political rivals, while in
Salem citizens cried witchcraft against those who they had felt wronged them in the past
or against those they were envious of.
In both places the
accusations deflected the attention away from the prime concerns of the time, such as
race and gender discrimination in the United States, and the overly strict value system
of the Puritans in Salem. Instead, the attention shifted toward Communism and
witchcraft which was simply a mask for society's real
issues.
In both cases, innocent people, who had nothing to
do with withcraft or Communism, were dragged into the controversy and often convicted of
crimes or had their reputations slandered over issues they knew nothing
about.
The way the courts handled the accusations are also
parallels. The innocent until proven guilty idea didn't ring true in either case and
those accused were forced to implicate others or face jail time and a criminal
record.
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