In fact, the biggest accusation that the United States levels against communism is that it is anti-people and does not acknowledge the need for freedom and liberty of the masses. On the other hand, the communists cite Vietnam, globalization issues, unethical transnational business ventures and more recently, Iraq, as examples of the illegal intervention of the US in the affairs of other nations that are not able to defend themselves against the might of the US military. In fact, it may be seen that communism and capitalism are at loggerheads with regard to many issues like business, indigenization, exports, finance and human rights. Both these ideologies have enough propaganda material against the other, which helps them to maintain the loyalty of their respective supporters. It must be said that both the communists and the capitalists have strengthened each other from time to time. For example the scope for a communist upsurge in the United States and countries that have similar ideologies are very less. Similarly, the communist propaganda in countries like China, Cuba and some European nations has ensured that the tempo of the hate campaign against the capitalists is maintained at a steady rate. Both these ideologies are fuel for each other and so each one needs the other to maintain their sway over the masses.

Analysis

History
It would be a good idea to enquire the growth of the communist party within the United States before trying to understand how the party has affected the United States by way of outside influences.

Ever since the party originated in the United States since somewhere around 1919, the party loyalists have been hunted down by the government under the pretext of various criminal charges, or on the basis of actual violation of the law. It must be said that the Russian revolution and the wavering economic conditions in those years could have been a major factor that prompted the authorities to prevent the growth of communism in the country. As a result, USA witnessed many political reprisals against the communists in the early 1900s. For example encouraged by the Sedition act of 1918, many communist loyalists were arrested in the United States [Nationmaster.com, 2004]

The effect of the communist movement in the United States

The origin of the influence of the communist ideology on the United States

The theories of Marx and his followers strengthened the working class movement and added fuel to the social struggles in various countries. The popularity of communism in Russia and China, though both were not fully industrialized nations, was contrary to some of the arguments of Marx. However the capture of power by Marxian followers in these two countries greatly influenced the working class movement and gave both moral and material support to Marxists all over the world. The formation of Soviet Republics was hailed as communist victory and the country was cited as a model of the socialist state.

Communist governments were also established in many east European countries. Marxist Governments controlled about one sixth of the whole world. The Soviet Union achieved progress in all areas and became a super power posing considerable threat to the United States. Though China had differences with Soviet policies, this agrarian economy also achieved commendable progress in various fields. It was but natural that the effect of the communist ideologies would soon influence the masses in the United States, particularly because the parity between the rich and the poor was high in the United States.

Social effects
History would show that the communist movement in the United States has given many advantages to the society than what the capitalistic propaganda in the country would want people to believe. Many of the good work of the communist were deliberately obliterated in order to prevent them from having a hold on the masses of the United States. Like in any other country, the communist movement in the United States also started off by organizing party meets and unions for the benefit of the lower rung of the society, namely the working classes. Even though detractors of the communist party would like to believe that the communist operate by spreading propaganda within the ranks of the low-paid workers, the party works for uplifting the common man who was not protected under the capitalist reign.

The communist party was involved in organizing unions for workers in different industries. For example, the communist party was instrumental in creating and administering unions in the garment industry, rubber factories and offshore facilities where the involvement of the workers was considerable. Many worker oriented schemes that sought to enhance the economic condition of the workers were devised by the communists that were later accepted by the government with modifications. For example, the communists actively campaigned for unemployment benefits and the rights for those employed in the farm sector. The laborers in the farm sector were a very unorganized lot in those days and the rudiments of black slavery was most evident in the farm sector.

The exploitation that the blacks had to suffer caught the attention of the communist organization who promptly organized counter pressure tactics to get their demands fulfilled from the government. They were successful in making the government concede to their demands. The unemployment insurance that the communist fought for and got implemented by the government, was later modified to become the social security provision in the United States [Nationmaster.com, 2004]

One of the most well known communist leaders of the communist party of the United States is Angela Davis who brought much vigor and ingenuity to the struggle of the oppressed in the American society. She was in particular drawn to the problems of the black community in the USA. Many issues relating to the blacks were brought into public attention by the communist party. The influence of her party on her ensured that Angela became the third most wanted woman in the FBI's most wanted list. The unpopularity with police agencies was also a major disadvantage for her. After she was involved indirectly in a shootout incident, she was compelled to go underground evading the police. It was during this time that she was welcomed by many households that publicly requested her to stay with them through signs hung on their windows.

Although she was in hiding for a short duration, she was captured and produced in court and was finally freed from jail after a long legal battle. Angela describes the life that she had in Jail and the support and love that she received from many people during the days she was in jail, in her books. Most of Angela's friends and co-convicts remember that she was a jolly person who was so passionate about her ideals and was very interested to see her ideals become a reality some day... She was particularly critical of the state machinery and the extent to which it could go in order to quell the voice of the minorities.

She also advised that the nation's patriots, irrespective of color and creed, must be vigilant against the repression against the blacks. She always believed that the capitalistic governments had a tendency to indulge in state-sponsored oppression. It may be seen that her views helped a new school of thought that was radically opposite to the profit centered mentality of the capitalists and their materialistic dreams [Davis, 1974]. Radical political ideas of people like Angela Davis, enthused a lot of youngsters who took to communism and became its active members. This was a definite shift in the preferences of the American society.

The communist party also made a great deal of influence on the social life in the United States. It was perhaps the only political party that denounced racism and racist rules that put the black population of the United States to a great disadvantage. Similarly, it was very influential among the workers. The communist party was instrumental in creating many important worker’s unions like the United Mine Workers Union, and organizations like the Committee Of The Industrial Organizations that specifically looked into the affairs of the exploited worker.

Political effects
Perhaps the communists were the first to explore the possibility of coalition politics in the United States. Even though the hardliners in the party were averse to the moderate socialists in the beginning of the formation of the party, they soon reconciled to the fact that the moderates also were required for any hope of electoral victories. Soon the communist party tried to form alliances with the Democratic Party and formed many electoral alliances with them. The communist party of America was also involved in many international issues like the Spanish Civil war for which it provided humanitarian assistance. The communists also joined the Lincoln Brigade, a military force that saw the inclusion of blacks and whites in almost equal proportions and status in the army. However, the weakness of the communist party was that the ideology of the party was controlled to a great extent by the communist headquarters in Russia and China. This was a very important factor that limited the influence of the communist party within the country. In the later years of the cold war, the communist in America could not defend themselves from criticism by the nationalists because their ideology was a reflection of communist propaganda manipulated by the Russian high command [Beichman, 1999; Allen 1949]

Even though the communist movement was very useful as far as the workers and exploited sections of the society were concerned, communist strategies in other fields like education and social awareness was faulty and they committed the same mistakes that their comrades in other countries committed. The communists in the USA engaged themselves in a lot of misinformation campaigns and propaganda that was effectively countered by the academicians and political leadership in the country.

As a result, unlike in other countries, the communist could not penetrate the minds of the masses in the USA, and prove the perceived worth of the communist ideology. For example, there was a tremendous uproar over academic institutions getting influenced by communist ideologies. Many academicians were dismissed for their alleged links with communist organizations. The after-effect of all this was that the American society became very sensitive to issues concerning freedom in any field. Academicians, administrators, and politicians stressed on the need for freedom in all spheres of life and freedom became one of the strongest national characters of the United States.

"This kind of freedom, I submit, is not allowed the membership the Communist Party. I have come to this conclusion painfully and reluctantly through a long series of hearings and deliberations. In my opinion these careful studies by faculty and administrative agencies of the University of Washington have proved beyond any shadow of a doubt that a member of the Communist Party is not a free man, that he is instead a slave to immutable dogma and to a clandestine organization masquerading as a political party. They have shown that a number of the Communist Party has abdicated control over his intellectual life" [Allen 1949]

Economic effects
One of the most telling influences that communists had on the United States was the external threat from the erstwhile Soviet Union. The cold war was in fact a product of the severe rivalries between communist Russia and capitalist USA. The cold war has no precedents in the extent to which it could affect the balance of power in world politics. Perhaps no other event has ever happened in world history where the whole world was contemplating about the imminent extermination of the human race, just because two powerful nations were at loggerheads with each other. Past lessons learnt from two world wars, and the knowledge that a third one would leave no survivors was perhaps the only fact that prevented an outbreak of war.

Thousands of millions of dollars were spent in upgrading the war machinery worldwide while that money should have been ideally used for development. Additionally, the relations between countries were evaluated based on suspicion and mistrust. Huge amounts of resources in terms of money and talent was spent not to deter a war, but to ensure that sufficient strike capacities were available for reciprocal actions. Indeed the cold war has demonstrated another side of hostility between nations: the toll that suspicion and covert hostility can inflict on nations who were powerful externally but did not have a leadership that understood the value of humanity and refined feelings.

Perhaps the world war is one of the best examples that demonstrate the fear that is inherent in every administration against external threats.

Perhaps the first gesture that gave rise to the cold war was the expansion of the Russian influence throughout Europe. It is ironic that the USA and the USSR had fought together against Hitler during the Second World War. However, Russia under the leadership of Stalin expanded her influence throughout Europe and this was considered as a calculated move of the Russians to spread communism throughout Europe. This strong factor helped to generate suspicions in USA about the intentions of its previous ally. [Dukes, 2001]

The cold war was also initiated due to political games that were played by the top leadership of USA as well as USSR. President Roosevelt and Stalin enjoyed good relationship with each other while President Truman who succeeded Roosevelt was never forthcoming with the Russian premier. In fact, Truman hid the American plans to build the atomic bomb and Russia came to know about the bomb only when it was about to be used against Japan.

The Russians considered this as a serious breach of intelligence and trust from the US, and therefore placed America under scrutiny. The fact that America dropped the bomb in Japan was a major factor that automatically made the Russian government apprehensive about future American intentions and potential threats. [GCSE History, 2003]

Stalin also had bitter experiences with the American government. Stalin believed that the combined western forces had delayed the invasion and subsequent defeat of Germany, which according to him was a calculated move to reduce the strength of the Russian forces, which were engaged in direct war with Hitler's forces. Similarly, America prevented the expansion of Russia into Japan. That Japan and Russia did not enjoy good relations between themselves was another factor that fuelled the anger of Russian leaders who had other plans in Japan after her defeat. By 1946, the relations between the USA and the Russia had considerably worsened and there was a palpable tension between the two nations [Gaddis, 1990]

The initiation of the cold war also happened due to economic reasons. America had plans to sell its products throughout the European region after the world war, and hoped that the rise of capitalism would ensure good business relations with many countries particularly after the resumption of peace. However, it soon found out that, its good relations with Russia could not transcend the war field and that the differences in business ideology between the two countries would not help the plans of America to expand its businesses on a global basis. The increasing number of countries that had come under the influence of the success of communism in Russia was a further threat to the expansion plans of the United States. America also believed that the protected markets of Russia and the various communist countries could ensure the return of a situation similar to the 1930 depression [Spring, 1999]

Whatever be the obvious reasons that took the world dangerously close to extinction, the underlying factors that encouraged the cold war were the spiraling mistrust between two political ideologies that have always been antagonistic to each other.

The effect of communism on USA’s international relations
It is no secret that the United States considers communist countries as a threat to its hegemony over other nations. Rebels influenced by communist ideologies have waged covert and overt operations against the United States. As far as America is concerned, the countries that remain under the influence of communism are potential destinations for the expansion of their business. The only factor that prevents it from doing business with these countries is communism Hence, the external threats is not restricted to violence but also to lost chances in terns of financial and economic gains. America has strict controls on goods that are imported from communist nations, which has further alienated the country from these nations.

Communism has also affected the relations that the country enjoys with other nations. The Cuban crisis is a good example. The Cuban crisis catapulted to such a level that the US and the USSR came close to war. The ultimate reason behind the flare-up was of course, the age-old clash between communists and capitalist ideologies [Author not known, 2004]