RE: This is how the system evolved.

In 1887 a book was written that showed how a better management system was possible: https://archive.org/details/lookingbackward01bellgoog.

This is a short story with much the same message:
https://www.abelard.org/e-f-russell.php

Instead, this is what we got: https://archive.org/details/ironhee00lond/mode/2up.