Individualism and the Cold War Essay Example

pioneers in predicting the consequences of industrial capitalism, including excessive production, wars driven by expansionism, and economic downturns. The Great Depression in 1929 served as evidence supporting these forecasts (Carnes, Garraty 681). In contrast, the United States follows the ideologies of Hobbes and Locke, which greatly differ from Marxism. According to Locke, owning property is a fundamental right that people deserve due to nature.

Locke's perspective is that when a man adds his labor to the earth, it transforms into private property. His ideas mainly revolve around the government's responsibility to safeguard individual freedoms, including private property, with the objective of averting a state of nature. Conversely, Marx advocates for the best policy being the "abolition of private property." According to him, laborers receive no property while the upper-class possess all the property and contribute nothing. Property is merely an exploitation of the working class. The theories proposed by Marx greatly shape the thinking of communist individuals.

Although the US and communists have different beliefs, the US adheres to Locke's ideas which are evident in its bill of rights. This document includes an amendment that safeguards private property from government intervention. Following the overthrow of the Russian Czar by the Bolsheviks, a communist government was established based on Marxist ideology. This led to collective ownership of private property as a means to eliminate labor exploitation. Despite their rejection of individualism as ideal, Hobbes and Marx still hold differing perspectives.

During the 1920's, the United States experienced a period of intense fear and anxiety known as the Red Scare. This era was marked by widespread apprehension towards communism and suspicions that there were numerous secret anarchists living within the

country. The Red Scare resurfaced in the 1940s, giving way to McCarthyism, which was greatly influenced by Senator Joe McCarthy from Wisconsin. McCarthy played a significant role in instilling fear among Americans by alleging the presence of communists among them. Through televised broadcasts, McCarthy accused various individuals including politicians and actors, exposing their alleged ties to communism for all to see.

He made it a point to tell the citizens that the United States government was not properly dealing with communism. Although all these accusations were made, McCarthy was never able to adequately back up these claims. Aside from McCarthyism, which is now a term used for “unsubstantiated accusations,” the US Government set up a committee called the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) to do investigations. One major case was the case against Alger Hiss. He was an American government official who was accused and tried for espionage and served a 5-year sentence.

The establishment of specialized committees with the specific purpose of identifying potential communist spies within the United States demonstrates the extent of paranoia within our country. McCarthy had no evidence to back up his unjust accusations, yet people readily agreed with him due to their own fear. McCarthy's targets held influential positions, which increased the credibility of his claims. The growing prominence of communism-related mass hysteria worldwide further strengthened his popularity and support for these allegations. Concerns were fueled by the realities of Soviet military strength, the Korean conflict, the loss of nuclear dominance, as well as rumors about spies, some based on truth. Although there may have been a few communist sympathizers in the United States, many believe that citizens exaggerated the threat.

At that time, the United States remained globally dominant as the most powerful nation, rendering fears held by some Americans entirely unrealistic.

The citizens of the United States were worried about communism spreading from other countries. Although there might have been a few communists in the country, it is improbable that there were numerous. If any communists were found, federal officials would have acted accordingly. Soviet and Russian espionage operated in the United States and obtained valuable information, although not to an overwhelming extent. In this climate of fear, Truman enforced stricter security measures to prevent Soviets from acquiring more confidential information.

Despite the occurrence of communism in the United States, it never reached an uncontrollable stage. Americans, driven by their fear of losing their individualism, convinced themselves that communism posed a imminent threat. The Cold War emerged from American soldiers' discontent with other nations not following the same practices as the United States. Ultimately, the primary underlying reason for the Cold War was Americans' apprehension about safeguarding their individualism.

During moments of perceived threat, Americans have a tendency to amplify situations. The United States' involvement in the Cold War was not solely driven by their own participation, but rather stemmed from their struggle to understand the Soviet mindset. As a result, they sought to reshape Soviet thinking and bring it in line with American ideologies, ultimately removing any perceived threat to their own values. The primary objective of the United States was to showcase that independent and free living without dependence on a dictator or social structure was achievable.

The United States' participation in the war was motivated by their aim to assert themselves as the leading superpower.

Their goal was to display their economic stability and possession of formidable nuclear weapons. The objective of their involvement was to highlight their overall progress in contrast to other countries, both economically and politically. The intense response from Americans towards the Cold War can be attributed to their individualistic mindset, which perceives anything that challenges this philosophy as troublesome.

Often when one feels threatened, situations tend to be exaggerated, which is precisely what occurred with American citizens. In recent times, some argue that the response to Al-Qaeda was excessive, an overreaction. Some average American individualists believe that the United States did not respond swiftly and severely enough because the attack on the twin towers indicated a threat to their individualism. Conversely, external observers may claim that the United States reacted too harshly.

As individualists, Americans struggle to comprehend the mindset of close-minded individuals. The primary motivation behind our engagement with Soviet Russia was their opposition to the United States' perspective on governing a nation. They adhered to collectivism, while the U.S. embraced individualism. Despite the evolving times, one constant remains: Americans will perpetually prioritize themselves as individualists. It remains challenging to grasp concepts that contradict one's own values.