reductionist paths are never truly correct.

the world is complicated.

true: the one thing that every government - no matter how totalitarian - must fear is an angry mob.

also true: there are many tools available to the ruling class for dealing with this angry mob, often before it forms.

many work by redirecting the mob inward rather than outwards.

these tools work whether you live in a totalitarian fascist state or a egalitarian liberal utopia, albeit in somewhat different ways.

By definition, there is no ruling class in an egalitarian liberal utopia.

Cynicism about corruption is one of the most power tools wielded by the ruling class in any system. In general its one of the best ways to keep the smarter-than-average from posing any actual threat.