Every system of overt oppression has its limits, no matter how seemly compliant the population is or how iron fisted the current regime may be. The displays yo

Every system of overt oppression has its limits, no matter how seemly compliant the population is or how iron fisted the current regime may be. The displays you mention are just that, displays. For population scale control you really do need to be more subtle and pervasive. Which is what makes this type of surveillance so much more insidious.