Fear motivates individual and collective behaviors, which in turn drive human history. After an overview of a few indicators affording us a glimpse into the likely role of fear in the appearance of the city, we shall examine the fear experience in detail. Next we will embark upon its impact on memory and the development of children’s brains. We will then see up to what point mental structures of fear are reproduced in our systems of rights and duties, concluding that the safeguard of our democracies goes through taming and recalling fear.