I used to wonder the same thing about a lot of things in the past. It all actually boils down to the fact that society at large is incapable of coming to conclusions on their own merit, and instead are meant to be lead by those with power (aka media, academia, politicians, the church in the past). Revolutions are almost always top down. If there is no powerful force funding the population to get angry and rebel, it will not occur period. Even during the American revolution, the colonists had big money on their side, (notably the french). We have no allies with power. If you dare try to buck the system with you and whoever else you can muster, you will fail no matter what.