The Republican Radical Right

Abstract

As if in commemoration of their martyr Senator Joseph McCarthy, a diverse collection of right-wing organiza tions obsessed by the menace of domestic communism sprang into prominence during the late 1950's and early 1960's—the "Radical Right." These radical-right organizations saw many political and social policies of that era as evidence of a wide spread conspiracy among American Communists, fellow travel ers, and their dupes, a conspiracy aimed at turning the country into a Communist satellite. Many commentators, on this phe nomenon, mesmerized by this fantasy of Communist sub version, suggested that the Radical Right appealed to persons distressed by social change or psychologically disturbed. This article delineates these psychosociological conjectures and criti cizes them for their lack of empirical support. The character istic of radical-right supporters which has been empirically established is political: a large majority considered themselves Republicans. The supporters of the Radical Right were not merely Republicans; they were loyal and active Republicans who frequently exerted considerable influence in Party affairs. Many of the radical-right organizations are still active. Since 1964, however, their public pronouncements, though still pro claiming that the threat to America is internal, have focused on domestic Communists as well as on "real" problems such as the increasing crime rate. With a Republican administra tion, the Radical Right will be less critical and less visible.