Throughout history, governments have created artificial enemies to strengthen their own existence, playing on the fears of the public to consolidate their rule. From Hitler to the McCarthy era, from Stalin to today’s leaders, the strategy of manufacturing enemies has been one of the most effective ways to control the masses.
The word “creating” in the title may seem unsettling, but I must say that I drew inspiration from the late Necip Fazıl’s work Bir Adam Yaratmak (Creating a Man).
First, I would like to mention a book. Carl Schmitt’s The Concept of the Political (Der Begriff des Politischen in German) is considered one of the cornerstones of political theory. Schmitt defines the essence of politics through the distinction between “friend” and “enemy.” According to him, politics emerges as a domain in which people are in an irreconcilable opposition regarding any issue. When this opposition turns into an existential threat, politics reaches its purest and most decisive form.
Schmitt’s fundamental arguments are quite intriguing.
According to Schmitt, politics is not a moral or economic category but an existential one. The most crucial political decision is to determine who is a “friend” and who is an “enemy.” The primary function of the state is to define itself against its enemy to protect its people. Schmitt emphasizes the absolute authority of the state by stating, “The sovereign is he who decides on the exception,” referring to the state’s power to suspend the law in times of crisis.
Moreover, Schmitt harshly criticizes liberalism, which is based on compromise and individual freedom. He argues that liberalism weakens state authority by “eliminating politics” and distancing people from political decision-making processes.
One of his most fascinating views concerns war. His concept of war is different from the one we are familiar with. According to Schmitt, war is the ultimate expression of politics. Without the figure of an enemy, it is difficult for a political community to define itself.
Ideologies Never Hesitate to Use Children in Propaganda!
And here are some of his remarkable statements:
- “The sovereign is he who decides on the exception.”
- “The specific distinction of the political is the distinction between friend and enemy.”
- “The enemy is not merely someone with whom one competes or harbors resentment. The enemy is an existential threat.”
- “Liberalism is an ideology that continuously debates but cannot make decisions.”
- “Peace is only possible through the existence of a real enemy.”
Throughout history, governments have created enemy figures to unite the people, gain legitimacy, strengthen authority, or increase social control. In other words, a government with an inclination toward authoritarianism must have an unlimited skill in finding enemies—and if it cannot, it must demonstrate the same talent in creating them.
These enemies may sometimes be real threats, but most of the time, they are artificially constructed through rhetoric that exploits societal fears. As emphasized in Schmitt’s 1932 book The Concept of the Political, politics fundamentally relies on the division between “friend” and “enemy.”
As anyone who has lived in Turkey for the past twenty years knows very well, the government often constructs two types of enemies to maintain control: internal and external.
- Internal enemies: Groups presented as a threat within the state. These can be ethnic, religious, political, or ideological groups.
- External enemies: Threats beyond the country’s borders, often foreign states, global organizations, or international conspiracy theories.
For example, in Nazi Germany, Jews were portrayed as internal enemies, while the Soviet Union was labeled an external enemy. In Stalinist Soviet Union, “enemies of the people” and “counter-revolutionaries” were classified as internal threats, whereas the West was depicted as an external danger.
Furthermore, every dictator with a love for totalitarianism is an absolute admirer and addict of propaganda. Propaganda is the most effective tool in the process of enemy creation. As George Orwell depicted in 1984, totalitarian regimes manipulate public perception through propaganda and reinforce their power by continuously generating enemy figures.
Of course, propaganda has ancient techniques. You may already know them, but let me list them anyway:
- One-sided information flow: Monopolizing the media and suppressing alternative viewpoints.
- Repetition: Repeating the same narrative over and over again.
- Smear campaigns: Demonizing the selected enemy.
- Politics of fear: Creating an atmosphere of insecurity to make people seek refuge in authority.
Hitler’s Propaganda Minister, Joseph Goebbels, emphasized the power of propaganda by saying, “Tell a big enough lie and keep repeating it, and eventually, people will believe it.”
The Benefits of Creating an Enemy for a Government
There are countless benefits to an administration that manufactures enemies. Chief among them is, of course, dividing the society. By doing so, the “undesirable” segment of the population is “othered,” and the flames of polarization are continuously stoked.
As a result, the public focuses on the manufactured threats instead of real societal problems. This ensures continued loyalty to the authority. An additional advantage of this strategy is the silencing of the opposition and the tightening of censorship.
The most crucial technique, however, is the justification of violence and oppression against the designated enemies. Pressure and violence against these groups become legitimate, often with the public’s approval—or even by their own hands. Remember the McCarthy era “Communist hunt” in the U.S., where freedoms were curtailed, and many people lost their jobs, were imprisoned, or were discredited.
A Historical Collage of Enemy Creation
To conclude this discussion, let’s look at some historical examples:
- Adolf Hitler identified Jews as internal enemies, blaming them for economic and social issues. In Mein Kampf, he depicted Jews as the source of Germany’s moral and economic downfall. Through Goebbels’ effective propaganda, public hatred against Jews was inflamed, ultimately leading to the Holocaust.
- Joseph McCarthy launched a “communist hunt” in the late 1940s in the U.S., branding many intellectuals and artists as traitors. Communists were presented as a threat to “American values.” A massive witch hunt was initiated through the media, propaganda films, and courts.
- Joseph Stalin declared opponents as “enemies of the people,” sending them to labor camps. Especially during the “Great Purge” of the 1930s, many politicians, intellectuals, and military personnel were labeled as traitors and executed. This method kept the public loyal to the regime.
- After 9/11, the U.S. government implemented extensive security policies under the banner of the “War on Terror.” Islamophobia surged, and Muslim communities were portrayed as potential threats. Prisoners at Guantanamo Bay were held for years without trial and subjected to torture. The media reinforced the “us vs. them” narrative to gain public support.
There are countless contemporary examples. From Turkey and Erdoğan to Trump in America, from Putin in Russia to the numerous far-right party leaders in Europe (many of whom are now coming to power), all serve as examples of this phenomenon.
Today’s most commonly demonized group? Migrants.
Of course, Turkey deserves a separate discussion—but not today.
In the next article, we will continue with more examples from Hitler and the Nazis.
But for now, let’s conclude with this:
The strategy of manufacturing enemies has been used by many governments throughout history and continues today. As Carl Schmitt pointed out, politics is shaped by the “us vs. them” distinction. However, if people recognize these manipulations and adopt critical thinking, the impact of fabricated enemies can be diminished.
For free societies to flourish, it is crucial to enhance media literacy, develop historical awareness, and recognize manipulation techniques. Otherwise, it is clear that governments will continue to create new enemies to legitimize their rule.
