IMO, this is no coincidence - Buddhism - like many religions - is, in part, a tool for manipulating the masses by those in power.

I think that this is more by selection effect than by design.

If your religion is constantly telling people to overthrow the worldly status quo all the time then it probably gets put down before it gets big. I don't think that people near the founding of any current major religion sat down and thought "Now how can we keep these peasants in check?" as part of coming up with the doctrines of the religion.