red-baiting
Smearing with socialism
Red-baiting is the practice of accusing someone of being a communist or communist sympathizer, typically to discredit them politically.
The tactic was especially prominent during the Cold War era, when accusations of communist ties could destroy careers and reputations.
Red-baiting often involves little evidence and trades on fear rather than fact: The candidate dismissed criticism of her policies as red-baiting.
Record of prohibited entities
- ostracizeExclude from a group
- persecuteHarass cruelly, persistently
- witch-huntPersecution of supposed subversives
- coercionPressured compliance through threats
intimidation · harassment · censorship · firing · silencing · repression · purge · denounce
Red Scare congressional committee
- blacklistRecord of prohibited entities
- loyalty oathSworn commitment to faithfulness
- subversiveSeeking to undermine authority
- un-AmericanContrary to national ideals
perjury · contempt of Congress · informant · purge · Rosenbergs · fellow traveler · pink · clearance
Collective ownership system
- Soviet UnionFormer communist superstate
- Iron CurtainCold War's political divide
- Marxism-LeninismState-led revolutionary socialism
- StalinismTotalitarian Communist doctrine
containment · Truman Doctrine · domino theory · capitalism · NATO · Warsaw Pact · KGB · espionage
Spread or defame
- accusationClaim someone did wrong
- innuendoOblique disparaging remark
- fearmongeringDeliberately spreading exaggerated threats
- demonizationCasting as evil
vilification · defamation · slander · labeling · stigmatize · scapegoating · insinuation · character assassination
Political art for causes
- disinformationIntentional deceptive falsehoods
- misinformationFalse data spread unintentionally
- brainwashingCoercive psychological manipulation
- indoctrinationSystematic uncritical belief instillation
spin · distortion · manipulation · polarization · yellow journalism · demagoguery · scaremongering · bias
blacklist
Record of prohibited entities
- ostracizeExclude from a group
- persecuteHarass cruelly, persistently
- witch-huntPersecution of supposed subversives
coercion · intimidation · harassment · censorship · firing · silencing · repression · purge · denounce · shunning
HUAC
Red Scare congressional committee
- blacklistRecord of prohibited entities
- loyalty oathSworn commitment to faithfulness
- subversiveSeeking to undermine authority
un-American · perjury · contempt of Congress · informant · purge · Rosenbergs · fellow traveler · pink · clearance · testimony
communism
Collective ownership system
- Soviet UnionFormer communist superstate
- Iron CurtainCold War's political divide
- Marxism-LeninismState-led revolutionary socialism
Stalinism · containment · Truman Doctrine · domino theory · capitalism · NATO · Warsaw Pact · KGB · espionage · anti-communist
smear
Spread or defame
- accusationClaim someone did wrong
- innuendoOblique disparaging remark
- fearmongeringDeliberately spreading exaggerated threats
demonization · vilification · defamation · slander · labeling · stigmatize · scapegoating · insinuation · character assassination · discredit
agitprop
Political art for causes
- disinformationIntentional deceptive falsehoods
- misinformationFalse data spread unintentionally
- brainwashingCoercive psychological manipulation
indoctrination · spin · distortion · manipulation · polarization · yellow journalism · demagoguery · scaremongering · bias · dogma
- witch huntswitch trials, witch hunt, witch hunts, Salem witch trials, Salem trials
red-baitingcommunist propaganda
Leftist ideological messaging