Exactly. It makes much more sense to give people an illusion to believe in (illusion of democracy, freedom, whatever) and then control them from behind the scenes, than to actually mind control them with technical means. The latter gives them a common -and recognizable- enemy to unite against. Not good.
Besides, do you know how easy it is to plant ideas in people's heads? You can do a simple experiment: ask a person for, say, their social security code (4 numbers right?) and then ask them, directly after that, how many dentists he or she thinks work in New York city. The number will almost always be extremely similar to the 4-digit code they just gave.
Silly example, but you get the idea. It's a mental technique people use to make quickfire decisions assumptions. The previous number (which they know) was still in their head so they reach back for it to make a guesstimation on the second.