Places and forms of power: witch hunting.

Places and forms of power : Witch hunting.

I’m going to talk about the places and forms power. Power is the ability to control people's . In order to live together members of a community accept rules, it helps to create social cohesion but can also lead to conflicts and tensions. There are always counter-powers which question it, aim at limiting its excesses and resist it.                  

We well see why were some American people blacklisted ? In the first place, we are going to talk about blacklisting and scapegoating thereafter a counter power and finally conclude about this notion.

First of wall, in the 17th century when British colonist sailed to the New World, they brought over their belief in witches and in the devil with them. So, when a group of girl fell sick in Salem, Massachusetts, the whole Puritan were confuse and thought they had been bewitches so it the beginning of the witch hunt in Salem. Similarly, we find a period identical is to the witch hunting in 1950 it is the Mc Carthyism or the Red Scare because the communist are hunted down.  Different people were blacklisted for example in the cinema industry with the Hollywood ten.in both period it is the same process. People were tried or wrongfully accused and were convicted of witchcraft or of being communist like during the Salem witch Trials (1692-1693). In the both period, the suspected people had to naming names of other people to be free, people needed a scapegoat. Consequently, people were arrested, imprisoned, in the 17th 20 peoples were hanged. The Hollywood Ten lost their job, several commited suicide, exile for some. These were very hard times.

Secondly,we are going to talk about counter power.

During these periods there are several silent protestants."One of the Hollywood Ten" is a biopic about Herbert Biberman who said the Communists were supposed to propagate subversive messages in Hollywood movies. In 1947, ten Hollywood writers, directors, and producers refused to tell the HUAC they were communist or not. Breaking the vicious circle by refusing to give names. Moreover Protestants used the media to denounce the                                    Mc  Carthyism like Arthur Miller with The Crucible. The Crucible is a 1953 play and an allegory of McCarthyism. He wanted to open people's eyes on McCartyism and this aim was denounce the situation. There is also Edward Murrow, an american broadcast journalist who denounce Joseph McCarthy with his program " Good Night and Good Luck". He appeals to American people to react and consequently to stop mass hysterias in the US. Murrow can be considered as a hero because led McCarthy to his downfall in December 1954.

To clonclude, we have seen that the people were blacklisted because they were suspected by the leaders. However, even if theywere under threats people fight for they liberty . For me people must be able to live without fear of being reprimanded.