Anti communist, anti McCarthyism, both, or neither?

For the whole movie, Chaplin appeared to suggest that McCarthyism was a witch hunt enforced by thought police who ruined lives. But at the very end it seemed to suggest the exact opposite. Rupert freed himself and his parents by ratting out others, and this was described a satisfying resolution for all. Except that Rupert was crying and clearly torn with guilt. So I'm confused. Which was he saying was evil, Communism or the witch hunt to root it out? Unfortunately it seems like you could read it either way. My tentative guess is that he meant to say that both were evil but didn't do it very well. I would love an explanation.