Mbembe argues that creating the Other through racism is central to democracy’s structure. He proposes that true democracy has never existed. Instead, the use of violence and political maneuvering to subjectify the Other defines liberal democracies: “The contemporary era is, undeniably, one of separation, hate movements, hostility, and, above all, struggle against an enemy” (42). The creation of an enemy is born out of desire. Mbembe explains that humans want protection from the destruction and persecution that manifest through separation and extermination. Many sovereign states exhibit this desire by creating various types of walls. Other security measures, such as checkpoints and watchtowers, likewise function as types of protection.

Mbembe turns his attention to the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories as an example of total exertion of control and surveillance. While these practices mirror traditional apartheid, they use new technologies and methodologies to maintain separation and domination. In its occupied territories, Israel enacts power by issuing identity cards, monitoring population, and controlling daily life.

Mbembe explains that a desire for apartheid arises out of the repeopling of the world. Historical colonialism championed separation as settlers worried about the many threats they faced.