Exactly so.

Fear has been the preferred tool of rulers for all of recorded history, and likely for eons prior.

The sole exception was the early American republic, birthed by the fearless who took on the most powerful empire of the time. Even then, the fearless were but a minority of the population, just as they are now, albeit arguably a far smaller slice.

The thing the rulers fear the most are the fearless, which is why they do everything in their power to destroy them.

Being fearless is dangerous, but it is the only way to truly live.