How did Arthur Miller’s The Crucible connect the Salem witch trials to McCarthyism?

Arthur Miller’s 1953 play, The Crucible, serves as a powerful allegory that connects the 1692 Salem witch trials to the McCarthyism of the 1950s.12

Miller used the historical persecution of alleged witches in colonial Massachusetts to mirror the contemporary political climate, during which Senator Joseph McCarthy led widespread investigations into alleged communist subversion within the U.S. government. Both eras were defined by an atmosphere of fear, paranoia, and a desperate desire for conformity, where unsubstantiated accusations could destroy reputations and lives.13

Just as the Salem trials relied on coerced confessions and the naming of others to escape punishment, the McCarthy-era hearings pressured individuals to identify suspected communists, often leading to blacklisting and public branding. By framing these events as a theatrical parable, Miller highlighted the dangers of political campaigns that prioritize the suppression of dissent over civil liberties and justice. This connection is underscored by the fact that Miller himself was later called before the House Un-American Activities Committee and refused to name others, reflecting the very moral struggle depicted in his play.324