One of the most significant industrial states in the country, with
a powerful radical tradition, Pennsylvania was, by the early 1950s,
the scene of some of the fiercest anti-Communist activism in the
United States. Philip Jenkins examines the political and social
impact of the Cold War across the state, tracing the Red Scare's
reverberations in party politics, the labor movement, ethnic
organizations, schools and universities, and religious
organizations.
Among Jenkins's most provocative findings is the revelation that,
although their absolute numbers were not large, Communists were
very well positioned in crucial Pennsylvania regions and
constituencies, particularly in labor unions, the educational
system, and major ethnic organizations. Instead of focusing on
Pennsylvania's right-wing politicians (the sort represented
nationally by Senator Joseph McCarthy), Jenkins emphasizes the
anti-Communist activities of liberal politicians, labor leaders,
and ethnic community figures who were terrified of Communist
encroachments on their respective power bases. He also stresses the
deep roots of the state's militant anti-Communism, which can be
traced back at least into the 1930s.