According to René Girard, mimetic, or imitative, desire is the idea that humans desire things not because of a desire for the thing itself but because others possess or desire those things. This desire then creates distinctive interpersonal dynamics. Girard developed the idea first in his analysis of Romantic literature and later supported it through anthropological analysis. To illustrate, one might imagine a small child who wants a sibling’s toy while simultaneously holding a similar toy. Girard saw an analogous dynamic underlying much of human desire, interpersonal relations, and politics.