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 Byzantine Palaces of Justinian II: Imperial Extravagance and the Unraveling of a Reign November 4, 2025 Leopold II and Donald Trump: Architecture, Power, and the Politics of Memory November 4, 2025 Bought and Borrowed: ‘The Great Gatsby’ and the Corruption of the American Dream in the 1920s November 4, 2025