Throughout history, one of the most effective tools of propaganda has never been a policy, a law, or even a speech.
It has been the creation of an enemy.
Not an actual enemy standing at the border. Not a specific criminal who committed a crime. Not a policy disagreement between people who see the world differently.
A broad, vague, ever-present enemy.
“The left.”
“The right.”
“The elites.”
“The immigrants.”
“The media.”
“The corporations.”
“The establishment.”
The label changes depending on who is speaking. The strategy remains the same.
When people are scared, frustrated, or struggling, they naturally search for explanations. Complex problems like inflation, healthcare costs, housing shortages, crime, education, and economic uncertainty rarely have a single cause. They are usually the result of years, sometimes decades, of decisions made by many people across multiple administrations, legislatures, and institutions.
That complexity is difficult to explain.
Finding someone to blame is easy.
Propaganda thrives in that simplicity.
Instead of asking citizens to understand complicated issues, propaganda offers a villain. Instead of encouraging critical thinking, it encourages emotional reactions. Instead of asking, “What caused this problem?” it asks, “Who should we be angry at?”
Once an enemy has been identified, every problem can be traced back to them.
- Economic problems? Their fault.
- Social problems? Their fault.
- Government failures? Their fault.
National division? Somehow, also their fault.
The enemy becomes a catch-all explanation that requires no evidence because it appeals to emotion rather than reason.
History is filled with examples of this tactic. Authoritarian movements have always relied on creating groups that can be blamed for society’s frustrations. The targeted group may change, but the formula rarely does. A population is told that their struggles are not the result of complicated systems or failed leadership but rather the actions of a specific group working against them.
- The goal is not to solve problems.
- The goal is to unify supporters through resentment.
A population that is angry is easier to mobilize than a population that is informed.
The modern media environment has made this strategy even more effective. Social media algorithms reward outrage. News organizations compete for attention. Influencers build audiences by feeding people content that confirms what they already believe.
Every click, share, comment, and angry reaction tells the algorithm to show more of the same.
Before long, people stop seeing fellow citizens with different opinions.
They begin seeing enemies.
This is where propaganda becomes especially dangerous. Once a group is viewed as an enemy rather than as neighbors, coworkers, friends, or fellow Americans, almost any action taken against them can be justified.
- The language becomes harsher.
- The accusations become broader.
- The divisions become deeper.
Meanwhile, the problems that started the anger in the first place remain unsolved.
A leader who constantly needs an enemy may be revealing something important. If every failure can be blamed on someone else, accountability becomes unnecessary. If supporters are always focused on fighting an enemy, they may spend less time asking whether promises are being kept.
That is why citizens should be cautious whenever they hear entire groups described as the source of all society’s problems.
Healthy democracies depend on disagreement.
Propaganda depends on division.
The difference often begins with one simple question:
Is this person offering solutions, or are they simply offering someone to blame?
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