It is quite obvious that these processes may be enhanced by guided processes like basic school education. Directed learning processes are a political issue. There are uncountable examples of educational systems being uprooted time and again by the change of political leadership. If you think that what is good for the individual is also good for society, you will probably use public funding to back spontaneous learning to a great extent. If you feel that it is the task of society to shape the individual for the common good, you may try to choke spontaneous processes.
Most societies seem to find a balance between the two.
Finding that balance is the essence of didactics. Directed learning processes are initiated by society in things like curricula and syllabi, or a parking ticket. A national curriculum, like we have in Sweden for both primary and secondary education, is an important political document. It reflects the government's policies on the country's views on and needs of education. From experience we know that implementing new laws and regulations take time.