People were afraid of communism because this system has always led to dictatorships/totalitarian government

That statement is true.
In true communism, Government control all the resources and able to make full regulation in policies.
This create a situation where the Government had complete power to determine what happen to the citizens, which is basically a ictatorships/totalitarian government.

People were afraid of the excessive control and totalitarianism of communism when it first came about, but after being under its control for years, they became dependent upon the system of high taxes and government handouts, even if the quality of life was poor. When their countries were no longer under the spell of communism, the populace floundered.