Is Hell An Invention For Societal Relations?

Live Science:

While the researchers found stronger belief in hell was linked to less crime, the opposite turned out to be true for a belief in heaven. This suggests countries where citizens put more stock in heaven than in hell suffer from higher crime rates, and the bigger the gap, the worse the crime, the analysis revealed.
The findings fit with growing evidence that belief in supernatural punishment is a cultural innovation that spread across ancient societies, because it effectively motivated people to cooperate and suppress anti-social behavior, the research team writes in research detailed earlier this month in the journal PLoS ONE.  

I would definitely believe that as a partial explanation of the roots of  religion.  It definitely makes sense that the leaders of society would tell the poor that they should suck it up and behave because they'll get their rewards in the afterlife.  Throwing in that if they don't behave they'll face an even worse fate for eternity is just a bonus to keep them in line.