Communism is a way of organizing a society in which the government owns the things that are used to make and transport products (such as land, oil, factories, ships, etc.) and there is no private property.
A clash of very different beliefs and ideology - capitalism Vs. communism - each held with almost religious conviction, formed the basis of an international power struggle with both sides trying for dominance, exploiting every opportunity anywhere in the world.
During the McCarthy era, thousands of Americans were accused of being communists or communist sympathizers and became the subject of aggressive investigations and questioning before the government or private-industry panels, committees and agencies. The primary targets of such suspicious were government employees, those in the entertainment industry, educators and union activists.