witch-hunt
Persecution seeking scapegoats
A witch-hunt is a campaign to expose and punish people accused of holding dangerous or subversive views.
The term recalls historical persecutions of alleged witches but now applies to any aggressive investigation driven more by hysteria or political motivation than evidence: The hearings turned into a witch-hunt against anyone who'd criticized the administration.
The accused need not be guilty of anything.
Politically-motivated accusation without evidence
- inquisitionSustained, probing investigation
- blacklistRecord of prohibited entities
- scapegoatUnfairly blamed person
- victimizationBeing made to suffer
oppression · targeting · harassment · hounding · Salem · purge · show trial · tribunal
Politically-motivated accusation without evidence
- red scareMass anti-communist hysteria
- purgeEliminate unwanted elements
- blacklistRecord of prohibited entities
- loyalty oathSworn commitment to faithfulness
subversion · enemy of the state · dissident · traitor · un-American · communist · Soviet · HUAC
Shared irrational public fear
- mob mentalityCollective irrationality in groups
- frenzyViolent mental agitation
- panicUncontrollable sudden fear
- maniaIntense, consuming obsession
fearmongering · alarmism · delusion · superstition · irrationality · overreaction · contagion · fever pitch
Unfounded claim of guilt
- miscarriage of justiceLegal system punishing the innocent
- kangaroo courtIllegitimate proceeding ignoring procedure
- railroadingForcing acceptance unfairly
- travestyAbsurd, degrading imitation
prejudice · bias · discrimination · stigmatization · vilification · character assassination · smear campaign · defamation
McCarthyism
Politically-motivated accusation without evidence
- inquisitionSustained, probing investigation
- blacklistRecord of prohibited entities
- scapegoatUnfairly blamed person
victimization · oppression · targeting · harassment · hounding · Salem · purge · show trial · tribunal · heresy
McCarthyism
Politically-motivated accusation without evidence
- red scareMass anti-communist hysteria
- purgeEliminate unwanted elements
- blacklistRecord of prohibited entities
loyalty oath · subversion · enemy of the state · dissident · traitor · un-American · communist · Soviet · HUAC · informant
mass hysteria
Shared irrational public fear
- mob mentalityCollective irrationality in groups
- frenzyViolent mental agitation
- panicUncontrollable sudden fear
mania · fearmongering · alarmism · delusion · superstition · irrationality · overreaction · contagion · fever pitch · fanaticism
wrongful accusation
Unfounded claim of guilt
- miscarriage of justiceLegal system punishing the innocent
- kangaroo courtIllegitimate proceeding ignoring procedure
- railroadingForcing acceptance unfairly
travesty · prejudice · bias · discrimination · stigmatization · vilification · character assassination · smear campaign · defamation · slander
- reproachesblaming, scolding, rebuking, reprimanding, censuring
- scandalscandal, infamy, disgrace, coverup, cover-up
- Cold WarBerlin Wall, Iron Curtain, arms race, Warsaw Pact, Cuban Missile Crisis
- crueltycruelty, brutality, inhumanity, viciousness, ruthlessness
- vilificationvilification, vilifying, demonizing, demonisation, demonize
witch-huntdue process
Guaranteed judicial fairness
fair trial · impartial investigation · fact-finding · audit · review
witch-huntvindication
Clearance of blame
exoneration · acquittal · absolution · presumption of innocence · rehabilitation
witch-huntpresumption of innocence
Default legal blamelessness
measured response · trust · tolerance · benefit of the doubt · civil discourse
hunt, witch, hunter, hunting, witchcraft, witches, witch hunt, witchfinder, witch-hunts