The Idea of “Conspiracy” in McCarthy-Era Politics January 5, 2021 1 min read Conspiracy theories constituted the political software of many cycles of American politics. By Dr. Richard M. FriedProfessor Emeritus of HistoryUniversity of Illinois at Chicago 122620-68-History-Red-Scare Originally published by Prologue (Spring 2002), the United States National Archives and Records Administration, to the public domain. About the Author Matthew McIntosh Administrator Visit Website View All Posts What do you feel about this? 0% Love 0% Funny 0% Wow 0% Sad 0% Angry Post navigation Previous: “Jitterbugs” and “Crack-pots”: Responses in 1938 to “War of the Worlds”Next: The Psychology of Fairness: Why Some Americans Don’t Believe Election Results Related Stories Fighting on Two Fronts: Women’s Suffrage and Uncle Sam’s ‘Hello Girls’ of World War I September 17, 2025 Katharine Bement Davis: Childless Woman and Social Leader in the 19th and 20th Centuries September 17, 2025 Counting the Ancients: Population Growth and Demographics across the Ancient World September 17, 2025