subversive act of preventing certain people from working because of their supposed political beliefs or associations; often used by powerful groups to ostracize or ruin dissenters; a mainstay of totalitarian regimes as in China after the student democracy movement of 1989; famous incident in U.S. entertainment industry during 1950s when many talented artists were prohibited from work on the basis of their alleged beliefs; part of general witch-hunt atmosphere fostered by Senator Joseph McCarthy; also related to the actions of the House Un-American Activities Committee. see also in index Un-American Activities, House Committee on