I agree 100%. Can't say that I've given as much thought to the funding. I have difficulty understanding the machinations of how the said variations achieve their identical goal.

Good point about other authoritarian regimes. Part of the subterfuge that has taken me time to unravel is in the branding. Whether that be that of a representational (uni-party) democracy masquerading as a monarchy, or that of socialist extremism with contradictory technocratic/capitalist/mercantile characteristics.

The way that I see indoctrination work is through worship of icons that span generations, coupled with the marketing of bunk science, red-herrings causes that you've mentioned. Obviously, there's a need for loyalism of young and old alike (until we are all digital natives.)

Great comment.