Throughout history, politicians have relied on a tried-and-true marketing strategy: create an enemy, stoke public fear, and position themselves as the only solution. This tactic not only unites people under a common cause but also justifies extreme actions, from stripping rights to launching wars. Understanding this process is key to recognizing modern political manipulation for what it is—a sales pitch designed to consolidate power, not protect the people.
Step 1: Define the Enemy
The first step in this strategy is selecting a target—an ideology, group, or perceived threat—that can be framed as the ultimate villain. This enemy is often abstract, allowing for broad interpretation and easy adaptation to new circumstances. The chosen enemy is depicted as an existential threat to the nation, traditional values, or personal freedoms.
Examples:
- Communism (Cold War, McCarthyism): The U.S. government painted communism as an internal and external enemy, justifying purges, loyalty oaths, and military interventions.
- Drugs (War on Drugs): Politicians created a boogeyman out of drugs and drug users, fueling mass incarceration policies that disproportionately targeted Black and Latino communities.
- States’ Rights (Civil Rights Era): Segregationists reframed their opposition to racial equality as a noble fight for ‘states’ rights,’ masking their true aim of maintaining white supremacy.
- Weapons of Mass Destruction (Iraq War): The Bush administration manufactured urgency around nonexistent WMDs to rally public support for an invasion that benefited corporate and geopolitical interests.
- Woke and DEI (Present Day): Modern right-wing leaders have repackaged diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) as dangerous, using ‘woke’ as a catch-all slur to demonize social progress.
Step 2: Amplify the Threat Through Propaganda
Once the enemy is defined, the next step is to push the narrative through media, political speeches, and public messaging. Fear-based rhetoric is key—exaggerations, misleading statistics, and outright fabrications fuel the fire. The goal is to create panic and rally the public against the fabricated threat.
Examples:
- McCarthyism: Senator Joe McCarthy claimed without evidence that communists had infiltrated the government, leading to blacklists and careers ruined by suspicion alone.
- Reefer Madness (1930s): The media portrayed marijuana use as a direct cause of insanity, violence, and societal collapse, fueling the criminalization of cannabis.
- Post-9/11 Fear Campaigns: The Bush administration and mainstream media pushed fear of terrorism to justify the Patriot Act, which expanded government surveillance on American citizens.
- Anti-CRT Hysteria: Conservatives have falsely claimed that Critical Race Theory (CRT) is indoctrinating K-12 students, despite it being an advanced legal framework rarely taught outside of law school.
Step 3: Position the Leader as the Savior
After convincing the public of a dire threat, the final step is to present a singular leader (or party) as the only defense against chaos. This step often involves dismissing opposition as weak, corrupt, or complicit in the enemy’s rise.
Examples:
- Nixon’s ‘Law and Order’ Message (1968): Used racial fears to present himself as the protector against crime and civil unrest.
- Reagan’s ‘Just Say No’ Campaign: Positioned himself as the moral authority fighting the drug epidemic, despite policies that worsened systemic racial disparities.
- Trump’s ‘Make America Great Again’: Framed immigrants, Black Lives Matter activists, and ‘woke’ liberals as enemies, promising to restore order and traditional values.
Why This Matters Today
Recognizing these patterns is crucial because they continue to be weaponized against the public. When politicians manufacture enemies, they distract from real issues—corporate greed, wealth inequality, failing infrastructure, and climate change—while furthering their own power.
As voters and citizens, our best defense is critical thinking: Who benefits from a given narrative? What’s the historical precedent? And most importantly, what’s being ignored while we’re being told to fear?
The Bottom Line: The next time you hear about a ‘threat’ that conveniently benefits one political party or leader, ask yourself—are you being sold fear to keep someone in power?
Stay vigilant. Stay informed. Fight back.