Why did Americans fear communism during the red scares?

Americans feared communism during the Red Scares largely due to the perceived threat of a radical ideology that opposed capitalism and democratic values. The rise of the Soviet Union and its influence on global communism heightened anxieties about espionage and subversion within the United States. Events like the Bolshevik Revolution and labor strikes in the U.S. contributed to fears of a potential communist uprising. This atmosphere of paranoia was further fueled by government actions, such as the Palmer Raids, which sought to root out alleged communist sympathizers.