Divided by Design: The Strategic Creation of Enemies for Social Order and Power

From the moment we gained the ability to navigate independently, others' narratives helped shape our perceptions and behaviors. For instance, when our mothers warned us not to touch a hot pan because it could burn us or urged us to stay close in the grocery store to avoid being taken by a stranger. They ingrained a sense of caution, often for our protection. However, is fear always used in our favor? Now, while we can get burned by a hot pan or maybe taken if we wander off alone, are all other tellings accurate? In many cases fear narratives can be exaggerated or entirely false, leading to harmful misconceptions and negative labels. So, when individuals with authority use fear in a false narrative, is it truly for our safety or something else? This research explores the government's ability to create enemies to maintain social order and expand political power. Within a sociological, political, psychological, and media frameworks, the study shows how negative narratives, fear, and propaganda can influence public perception. Connecting to sociological theories, such as Marx’s conflict theory, it can highlight that individuals with power can redirect social issues onto other nations to maintain control. Durkheim’s structural functionalism views suggest that identifying enemies can strengthen social norms to maintain order, while Mead’s symbolic interactionism emphasizes how narratives can shape these perceptions. To analyze the tactic of fear through theoretical frameworks, I use a multidisciplinary literature review. De Jaegher's (2021) article provides an economic perspective on how using enemy narratives serves as a benefit and interest. Sullivan's (2014) article examines the psychological and sociological factors, like fear, to increase society's dependency on government. Taylor's (2002) article explores how propaganda can be used to influence perception, while Abhishek's (2021) article critiques the political use of misinformation. This paper will explore how governments use enemy construction to form policies, excuse military interventions, and increase their social/political control. Analyzing the use of establishing threats to form social control provides a deeper understanding of how state power is being used and the consequences of creating these enemies. Recognizing these frameworks allows a more critical approach to media narratives and government policies, emphasizing the ethical and political implications of these strategies.