Achille Mbembe argues that liberal democracy is built on a mythology of equality and freedom. This mythology is pervasive, positioning democracy in the canon of history as representative of moral good. However, Mbembe proposes that liberal democracy is a duality that benefits some while harming others. He draws from the Greek word pharmakon, or remedy, which has a dual connotative meaning: medicine and poison. Mbembe asserts that because democracy is based on colonialism, it holds an intrinsic relationship with violence and oppression.

The mythology of democracy is central to its survival. Mbembe shows how contemporary governments create and wield mythologies to maintain and expand power. The social critic indicates that both fear and desire play a role in maintaining its stronghold: the fear of others and the desire to be protected. By applying a genealogical criticism to the history of colonialism and its shift into contemporary sovereign states, Mbembe exposes how governments rely on these fears and desires to exert total control over human bodies:

The brutality of democracies has simply been swept under the carpet. From their origins, modern democracies have always evinced their tolerance for a certain political violence, including illegal forms of it.