It's psychological. A self-selecting population that finds authoritarianism comforting. Appeal to authority is not a fallacy for them. If the authorities tell them something authoritatively, it needs no analysis; it is the authoritative word on the matter.
That's why they always insist, "cite?!??" when a person capable of critical thinking would simply reason together with you and find agreement or be able to point out flaws in your train of logic.
You actually picked up on and named the fallacy.
I am impressed.
And they are impressed by expertise that reenforces their fallacies.
This is how the earth remained flat for so many generations.