I think it's more a need to disincentivize ambition and striving for success, perfection. Such misfits have always been able to stiff out and overturn a tyrannical kleptocracy. Quite dangerous.
Now, anyone can find the "truth" doing a google search on their smart phone. No sweat. Who needs tears of tedious advanced studies requiring a critical thought analysis of nature or human capabilities?
So, let's make being dumb and/or criminal profitable and having native intelligence punishable.
A free college education lacking introduction to research skill sets will give people the idea that their "smart" and that their ideas must mean something, while requiring that degree for any type of work keeps the colleges in business. You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours. Easy peasy.
When we're at the juncture where incompetents illegally walking over a border get a half mil while ambitious minds, required to be college educated to work, get a impressively titled minimum wage position at McDonalds or Walmart, the writing on the wall should be sufficient enough to predict the future, for minds willing to investigate.