What fear characterized the Red Scare in the 1920s?

The Red Scare in the 1920s was primarily characterized by a widespread fear of Communism. Following the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia in 1917, many Americans began to associate Communism with radicalism and a potential threat to the democratic and capitalist foundations of the United States. This fear was amplified by events such as labor strikes, the rise of anarchist movements, and the perception that there were Communist sympathizers within the U.S. government and society.

During this period, significant events included the Palmer Raids, where individuals suspected of being radicals or sympathizers were arrested and deported without fair trials. The overall societal atmosphere was marked by paranoia and the notion that Communism could take root in America, leading to efforts to suppress leftist ideologies and movements. This climate of fear resulted in the stigmatization of anyone associated with socialist or Communist beliefs, contributing to a nationalistic zeal against these ideologies.

In contrast, while fears of economic collapse, fascism, and totalitarianism existed in varying degrees, they did not define the particular anxieties and reactions of the 1920s in the same way as the fear of Communism did.