But whether they are called heretics or witches or insane or anti-government or terrorists, the end result, no matter what tyrannical regime it has happened in or is happening in, are tragically similar. The leaders of these regimes have always done whatever it takes to stay in power, without hesitation. Tyrants are always looking over their shoulders for potential threats to their rule. They are experts at keeping these threats to a minimum and dealing with them when they do arise. The use of force and propaganda have always been used by tyrants to keep the people enslaved.
Propaganda is very effective in curtailing resistance to a regime in power.
It plays upon a very basic human tendency, which is that most people are followers. Most of them will go along with the crowd. They will think the way they perceive that the majority of the people are thinking. This herd mentality was utilized very effectively in old Europe. The people of that time were taught by the church that the king was a god, almost on equal footing with the almighty himself.