An then the Overlords realise that a terrified populace is very unlikely to be inventive, creative, dilligent, striving or reliable and trustworthy and is even more unlikely to be willing to take up arms on behalf of the Overlords' interests, abroad and domestic.
So what do the Overlords do then?
A) Get themselves a new populace, not yet as terrorised and terrified into depression as the original one.
Because a frightened populace is easy to control and less likely to rebel.
"They'll turn us all into beggars 'cause they're easier to please. They're feeding our people that Government Cheese."
https://youtu.be/sR9ttAdrEHY?si=N29M0-cI6nACma6U
That was f*%&ing brilliant.
An then the Overlords realise that a terrified populace is very unlikely to be inventive, creative, dilligent, striving or reliable and trustworthy and is even more unlikely to be willing to take up arms on behalf of the Overlords' interests, abroad and domestic.
So what do the Overlords do then?
A) Get themselves a new populace, not yet as terrorised and terrified into depression as the original one.
Also A) Get themselves an Enemy to wage War upon.
Rinse and repeat.