But see, getting the government to pay for higher ed is just one more brick in the wall. They also want health care to be universally free.

"Free free free and everyone pays for it (except for MEE)"

Then they start cutting access to these "free" services like universal health care and higher ed so that it's harder to access unless you live in their urban centers, but the folks outside the urban centers are still paying for it.

And there you have your vassal states.