McCarthyism

McCarthyism is the act of making accusations of treason without any evidence.  It came about in the 1950s, when people were extremely scared of Communism.  Anti-Communist senator McCarthy gained popularity for his extreme anti-communist methods.  McCarthy would accuse people, especially other government officials, of having communist ties, which could ruin their lives even without viable proof.  Communist sympathizers were also a large target of McCarthyism, as well as people in the entertainment industry and educators.  Many people were put in jail on charges that had no evidence behind them.  These charges were eventually overturned when McCarthyism had its downfall in the late 1950s, but the damage was irreparable.