Late soviet intelligentsia: "STUPID evil sovok building tiny 33 m^2^ apartments! They are too tiny! Unlivable! Not like Blessed America, where everybody lives in spacious, comfortable suburban houses!"
Modern day: "Actually 33 m is too much, 15 would be just fine. Even 3 square meters could be alright!"
I would argue it is also because the ruling class retaina these degrees for themselves, as it allows them to maintain a chokehold on the superstructure - control the mainstream ideology, media narratives, create justifications for their own parasitic existence, etc