The same applied to Oldde Englande wherein  somebody could be  pointed at and have yelled  at "WITCH".  or in China  someone pointed at and yelled at " Counterrevolutionary"  or in USSR pointed at and accused of being a "CAPITALIST",  or in Germany pointed at and yelled " JEW".   Even in French Revolution, accusations of being at traitor to the revolution were just as easy to make and impossible to escape. Reality takes a back seat to expediency.