How do you effectively coerce an entire freedom-loving population into accepting and embracing unprecedented draconian measures?

You create a mass hostage scenario in which you convince them that if they don’t comply with your arbitrary rules, countless lives will be lost. “Do what we say or millions of innocent & vulnerable will die.”

Remind them at every turn of the imminent danger that awaits should they step out of line.

Offer examples of distant “successes” like that of president Xi Jinping, communist China’s courageous leader. “Xi’s strategy of significant monitoring and strict control of the social dialogue has proven to be the most effective way forward.”

You could hire some accomplished professionals to reassure the public that the only solution is a slow march into strict regulation and social bondage.

Create a sense of panic by hyping the threat well beyond what it actually is. Hide any positive developments that would provide a sense of hope. Lead them to accept that the only way is to blindly follow.

Obfuscate reality by only talking about what could happen rather than what is actually happening. Replace live statistics with extreme hypothetical models. Once those models fail, subtly swap them out with new ones.

Quiet all voices of dissent. Undermine those who speak out. Induce a sense of helplessness.

Never let them see behind the curtain.

Especially, DO NOT let them find out the cure.