Religion of fear

For some thousand years in Western society, people were controlled by their fear of hell. Their actions, loyalties, choices, and even their thoughts were governed by the ruling priests, who held ultimate power over their immortal souls. In the last hundred and fifty years, though, this power has been waning, as religion has less and less influence on people's lives. So what's a ruling class to do?

Well, if you're a neocon, the answer is easy: substitute a more earthly fear for the spiritual one that no longer resonates. If people have become materialistic, threaten their prosperity. Threaten their security and their peace and their way of life. Make sure that the people know you are the only one standing between them and disaster, so you are indispensable.

I'm curious why this phenomenon is so prevalent in the US, while Canada seems relatively untouched by it. I also wonder what we can do to prevent its spread here.