Fear as leadership tool?

[Marthe48]

My friend got me a subscription to Archaeology Magazine. I read that a large Neolithic city is in Northern China is being excavated. Like many other cities of the time, in other places, this city had massive stone walls. I have wondered for years about how people on the dawn of culture as we know it, were induced to build the massive walls. I think the people then who became leaders used fear to get others to follow them. I guess we can believe that there were dragons and aliens on the other side of the wall, but what about insidious suggestions that there was worse out there? And from building walls to keep out 'others' leadership evolved into fear of war, reduced economy, job loss, refugees, gays, women and pretty much you name it. I think that trump's base is completely scared of every single part of living that anyone who promises protection will get their loyalty.
I imagine this has been discussed before, but after reading about the Chinese city, I felt like it made sense.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. In those days, though, there really were invading armies that would besiege your city,

not just mythical dragons and monsters; the fears that led to the building of walls were often based on real circumstances.

[Marthe48]

2. a savvy leader could magnify the feelings

This city didn't die in destruction, seems to have been abandoned.

About fear, if someone told me I needed to build a wall (which is perfect for this discussion), I wouldn't feel any urgency to go pile up rocks, or pour concrete. Not like others who are urging the public to build a wall, or the members of the public who fear caravans invading.

There is a period of time when humans scanned the horizon and were glad to see another of their kind. But that kinship was destroyed by 'Otherness'. Probably some time before building walls to protect life and property.