Abusive spouse: You need me, who else would love you and take care of you? Now get back here and serve me, and remember that if you don't do a good job the punishment was your fault.
...and even as depressingly transparent as that is, it keeps on working daily.
I often use the phrase "battered citizenry syndrome," because the way "citizens" view "government" is so painfully similar to the dynamics of "battered spouse syndrome," as you just demonstrated.