Very much so. I don't have the book at hand, but Harry Browne in his book "How I Found Freedom in an Unfree World" (ca. 1973) said, more or less: "The prevailing European awe of the State has been in development for many centuries. It won't be reversed in my lifetime or yours." It may be partially cultural, but the sad fact is that most humans, even Americans, are sheep that will do whatever the shepherd says.