▁currently ▁used ▁in ▁English ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁describe ▁something ▁related ▁to ▁collect ivity ▁at ▁large , ▁with ▁an ▁imp lication ▁towards ▁government ▁or ▁the ▁State , ▁the ▁Latin ▁word ▁" public us " ▁could , ▁in ▁addition ▁to ▁that ▁meaning , ▁also ▁refer ▁directly ▁to ▁people , ▁making ▁it ▁the ▁equivalent ▁of ▁the ▁gen itive ▁of ▁popul us ▁(" people "), ▁pop uli ▁(" pop ular " ▁or ▁" of ▁the ▁people "). ▁Thus , ▁" public ▁enemy " ▁and ▁" en emy ▁of ▁the ▁people " ▁are , ▁et ym olog ically , ▁near - syn onym s . ▁ ▁The ▁words ▁" enn emi ▁du ▁peu ple '' " ▁were ▁extens ively ▁used ▁during ▁the ▁French ▁revolution . ▁On ▁ 2 5 ▁December ▁ 1 7 9 3 ▁Rob esp ierre ▁stated : ▁" The ▁revolution ary ▁government ▁ow es ▁to ▁the ▁good ▁citiz en ▁all ▁the ▁protection ▁of ▁the ▁nation ; ▁it ▁ow es ▁nothing ▁to ▁the ▁En em ies ▁of ▁the ▁People ▁but ▁death ". ▁The ▁Law ▁of ▁ 2 2 ▁Pra i rial ▁in ▁ 1 7 9 4 ▁extended ▁the ▁rem it ▁of ▁the ▁Revolution ary ▁Trib unal ▁to ▁pun ish ▁" en em ies ▁of ▁the ▁people ", ▁with ▁some ▁political ▁cr imes ▁pun ish able ▁by ▁death , ▁including ▁" sp reading ▁false ▁news ▁to ▁divide ▁or ▁trouble ▁the ▁people ". ▁ ▁The ▁modern ▁use ▁of ▁the ▁term ▁was ▁first ▁popular ized ▁in ▁April ▁ 1 9 3 0 ▁by ▁Frank ▁J . ▁Lo esch