# When did the US Government stop asking this \[about Communist Party membership\]? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 14, 2013, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-us-government-stop-asking-this-about-communist-party-membership/647214 "2013-01-14T20:14:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Shinna\_Minna\_Ma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f08c70/32.png) [@Shinna\_Minna\_Ma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shinna_Minna_Ma)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2013, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-us-government-stop-asking-this-about-communist-party-membership/647214/1 "2013-01-14T20:14:41Z")
We were looking through the dresser drawers of my late father, and found a copy of the original Federal job application he submitted to work at SSA back in 1943. Aside from the laughter factor (a salary request of $1260 per year), I found this gem buried in the questions: > [@](#): > > Are you a member of any Communist or German Bund organization or any political party which advocates the overthrow of our constitutional form of government in the United States or do you have membership or any affiliation with any group, association or organization which advocates, or lends support to any organization or movement advocating, the overthrow of our constitutional form of government in the United States? My question is - when did the government discontinue asking this question (or similar types of questions) for civil service jobs? ---
**Author:** ![Simple\_Linctus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Simple\_Linctus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simple_Linctus)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2013, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-us-government-stop-asking-this-about-communist-party-membership/647214/2 "2013-01-14T20:29:52Z")
No idea about the civil service, but whenever I’ve gone to the US I’ve had to answer basically exactly that question (except for the thing about Bunds, which I thought were bonds), although I believe it was in two parts - i.e. firstly whether I was a communist, and secondly whether I was there to overthrow the government. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2013, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-us-government-stop-asking-this-about-communist-party-membership/647214/3 "2013-01-14T20:42:17Z")
Edited title to indicate subject. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![FordTaurusSHO94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f07891/32.png) [@FordTaurusSHO94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordTaurusSHO94)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2013, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-us-government-stop-asking-this-about-communist-party-membership/647214/4 "2013-01-14T20:56:32Z")
They still ask those kinds of questions. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2013, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-us-government-stop-asking-this-about-communist-party-membership/647214/5 "2013-01-14T20:58:04Z")
Although I was never asked directly, you cannot be a member of the Communist Party and become a teacher in California. ---
**Author:** ![zombywoof](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/9e8a1a/32.png) [@zombywoof](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zombywoof)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2013, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-us-government-stop-asking-this-about-communist-party-membership/647214/6 "2013-01-14T21:04:34Z")
The US Visa application form ([PDF](http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/108128.pdf)) still asks if you participated in WW2 era “persecutions directed by the Nazi government of Germany”. ---
**Author:** ![Shinna\_Minna\_Ma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f08c70/32.png) [@Shinna\_Minna\_Ma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shinna_Minna_Ma)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2013, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-us-government-stop-asking-this-about-communist-party-membership/647214/7 "2013-01-14T21:17:23Z")
> [@FordTaurusSHO94](#): > > They still ask those kinds of questions. I’ve filled out many SF-171 forms in my time, and I don’t recall any questions about Communist party affiliations. In fact, here’s a [link](http://www.anka-ehs.eu.dodea.edu/forms/SF171.pdf) \*\*[Warning: PDF]\*\*to a SF-171, and there are no questions of any sort regarding political affiliation. (The SF-171 form is the application for federal employment.) ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2013, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-us-government-stop-asking-this-about-communist-party-membership/647214/8 "2013-01-14T21:26:26Z")
They ask about overthrowing the US government on security clearance applications. It didn’t specifically mention communism though. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2013, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-us-government-stop-asking-this-about-communist-party-membership/647214/9 "2013-01-14T21:42:50Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Edited title to indicate subject. > > Colibri > General Questions Moderator Thanks–for this and similar times. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2013, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-us-government-stop-asking-this-about-communist-party-membership/647214/10 "2013-01-14T21:46:01Z")
> [@zombywoof](#): > > The US Visa application form ([PDF](http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/108128.pdf)) still asks if you participated in WW2 era “persecutions directed by the Nazi government of Germany”. The last time I flew internationally the form when you enter the USA asked the same thing, I think. For sure it asked if you are a member of a terrorist organization (I forgot how it is worded exactly). So at least they can get you on that if nothing else sticks. ---
**Author:** ![sweeteviljesus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/898d66/32.png) [@sweeteviljesus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sweeteviljesus)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2013, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-us-government-stop-asking-this-about-communist-party-membership/647214/11 "2013-01-14T21:56:54Z")
I was interviewed when a former co-worker was seeking to upgrade her security clearance. They want to know if you are able to be compromised or if you seek the violent overthrow of the government (mostly the first part). Rob ---
**Author:** ![GiantRat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@GiantRat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GiantRat)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2013, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-us-government-stop-asking-this-about-communist-party-membership/647214/12 "2013-01-14T23:15:12Z")
I happen to have the paperwork from one of my background investigations for a national security clearance (the wonderful SF-86 that we all know and love). The questions the OP seems interested are: Have you ever knowingly engaged in any acts or activities designed to overthrow the United States Government by force? Do you have any foreign property, business connections, or financial interests? Are you now or have you ever been employed by or acted as a consultant for a foreign government, firm, or agency? Have you had contact with a foreign government, its establishments (embassies or consulates), or its representatives, whether inside or outside the US, other than on official US Government business? ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2013, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-us-government-stop-asking-this-about-communist-party-membership/647214/13 "2013-01-14T23:26:05Z")
> [@Simple\_Linctus](#): > > (except for the thing about Bunds, which I thought were bonds), The German-American Bund was an American Nazi group in the 1930s and 40s