From the long view, no. Regimes that use pain as control inevitably break as at a certain point, people will no longer willing give that up. This is history.

From the long view, no. Regimes that use pain as control inevitably break as at a certain point, people will no longer willing give that up. This is history. Walk down to a local AA meeting and see people who at some point willingly made a decision and who are now, unfortunately controlled by it. This will always exist.