Capitalism in its current form has existed for the last 2% of human civilization. 5% if you count mercantilism as a form of capitalism. For the vast majority of history, people owned their own means of production.

Even the most oppressive tyrants in history understood the concept of bread and circuses. Most people will stay complacent when their fundamental rights are being taken away as long as they have their distractions. Taking away the distractions is something you only do after you’ve fully consolidated your power. They’re so obsessed with projecting an aura of oppressiveness that they’ve forgotten how to hold power.