If you take the time to learn about trauma response in survivors and the various ways trauma manifests then extrapolate that out to the macro level, everything becomes much clearer. And sinister.

It's all just abuse. Society doesn't want you to be self sufficient, critically thinking and debt free. Then it would have to persuade you thru rational discourse.

If your broken and in need, well, the old saying applies; the power to relieve pain is 1000x greater than the power to inflict.

It also helps when you're the one inflicting the pain, then rationing the salves.