MCH-Dr. Tim Crain Presents: The Politics of Fear: Joseph McCarthy and the Red Scare of 1950-54

Session three: Demagogues in the 1930s

Demagogues have been present for thousands of years, and they have represented a threat to parliamentary democracy. All demagogues have the same seven characteristics: tell the big lie, appeal to the emotions of the lower classes, scapegoat a group or groups of people to blame for everything, offer simplistic solutions, keep yourself in the news as much as possible, never admit you are wrong, and always attack, attack, attack. Demagogues were prominent in the United States and Europe throughout the 1930’s. Joe McCarthy would become one of the best known demagogues in 20th Century history.