Question

How does the use of scapegoating support the theme in this passage?

Even dictators will be mourned by those they oppressed for years.
It is common for dictators to fear attacks by enemies both real and invented.
Dictators will blame an invisible foe for problems in order to explain events.
Most problems are caused by those who have been cast away for causing harm.

Answer 1

The passage’s theme centers on how dictators manufacture fear and assign blame to preserve power. Scapegoating directly supports that theme in several ways:

- Lines 2–3: “fear[ing] attacks by enemies both real and invented” and “blam[ing] an invisible foe” describe the scapegoating tactic itself—creating or exaggerating an external enemy so the leader can explain failures, justify repression, and keep people anxious and obedient.
- Line 4: “Most problems are caused by those who have been cast away” shows the content of the scapegoat: marginalized groups are labeled the source of social ills, which legitimizes punishment or exclusion.
- Line 1: That people “will be mourned by those they oppressed” is explained by scapegoating’s social effect—by uniting followers against a common (real or invented) enemy, a dictator can engender loyalty or nostalgia even after harms are done.

Overall, scapegoating reinforces the theme by revealing the mechanism—blame, fear, and manufactured enemies—that dictators use to distract from their faults, consolidate control, and shape public perception.