Privatization, austerity, and dismantling systems of social safety are absolutely systems things. The problem is that they can't be openly planned because of the public backlash. So they need a lightning rod character with the public perception of the necessary audacity, idiocy, and earnestness to make it happen. But I think OP is right that once it's in place, it will be normalized by the establishment because they need to do this as part of managing the collapse of empire.