One of the lessons of history is that tyranny is better than chaos.

Think about the European dark ages. The Pax Romana had collapsed. Imperial territory was littered with barbarian tribes who had come in as foederati. Other tribes looking for easy pickings invaded. Local strongmen arose who were just as bad. Your average farmer, craftsman, or merchant had no defense against rapacious thugs bent on loot, rape, arson, and a fun bit of murder.

What happened? Most people willingly enslaved themselves for the small amount of safety and order they gained thereby. Oh, there are differences between slaves and serfs. But for all of me one institution is about as nasty as the other. But not, for those living through that time, as nasty as uncontrolled chaos. And so the fall of Rome eventually gave birth to the high Middle Ages.