I must agree, however much I have a knee-jerk reaction. And I think my knee-jerkiness has to do with what gives rise to populism you describe: the belief that something which is negatively experienced was designed to be negatively experienced.

It's a short leap to complete anti-managerialism once one sees malice (I am often guilty of this).

You're right: it's easy to drag out the guillotine without asking honest questions.