Indeed; the idea that there was some intentional shadowy conspiracy to generate docile adults to meet the demand of the state is quite far-fetched. But the idea that the growing demands of the state gradually shaped the educational system seems nearly unavoidable.
Because of the human need for narrative, people always try to frame these stories in terms of heroes or villains and the actions they took. The truth is this kind of thing happens through a kind of emergent behaviour; no one person makes these choices, but they're forced into them through the structure and needs of the organizations they're a part of. On the one hand this seems more mundane and dull, but on the other hand in a way it's more sinister since a human can be stopped or reasoned with, but an organization usually cannot.
Because of the human need for narrative, people always try to frame these stories in terms of heroes or villains and the actions they took. The truth is this kind of thing happens through a kind of emergent behaviour; no one person makes these choices, but they're forced into them through the structure and needs of the organizations they're a part of. On the one hand this seems more mundane and dull, but on the other hand in a way it's more sinister since a human can be stopped or reasoned with, but an organization usually cannot.