Enemies in politics

"Every social order," writes R. M. MacIver, "like every living thing, has forces working against it, threatening to destroy it."1 One way in which men respond to these forces is by attaching the label "enemy" to whoever or whatever is perceived as threatening. It is our purpose in this book to examine the idea of the enemy-the image of the antagonist found in virtually all realms of social interaction—with special emphasis on the functions of enemies in politics.
The idea of the enemy finds its most common expression in international politics. The Cold War bears testimony to the manner in which the mutually hostile images which countries have of each other can become the dominant fact of international relations. A multitude of other antagonisms flourishes in the wake of the East- West conflict. While in power, Sukarno vowed to destroy the "imperialist state” of Malaysia, and Chiang Kai-shek still promises to liberate mainland China from “Communist oppressors." India and Pakistan are willing to sacrifice manpower and scarce resources over Kashmir; China and India have clashed over their common frontier; and the United States has fought in Korea, Viet Nam, and the Dominican Republic.