McCarran Internal Security Act

Definition

Passed in 1950 during the Cold War, this act required Communist organizations to register with the U.S. Attorney General and established the Subversive Activities Control Board to investigate persons suspected of engaging in subversive activities or otherwise promoting the establishment of a "totalitarian dictatorship," either fascist or communist.

Analogy

The McCarran Internal Security Act is like a school rule that requires all clubs to register with the principal's office and be monitored for any activities that might disrupt school order.

Related terms

Red Scare: This term refers to the fear of communism that swept America, first in the 1920s, and again in the 1940s and '50s. The McCarran Act was a product of this fear.

House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC): A committee of U.S. House Representatives which investigated allegations of communist activity in U.S during early Cold War years.

Smith Act: A law enacted in 1940 making it illegal to advocate overthrowing U.S government by force or violence. It was used during second Red Scare period against communists.