Yes I remember the goal Pein marked as Akatsuki's ultimate objective. With the going assumption that controlling (ninja) economy is a lame supervillain goal, I would have to believe that Pein's explanation is a front what with all new revelations in the storyline including: the fact that the Akatsuki leader is not Pein (unbeknowest to all Akatsuki except the female), but someone above, who is 1. Tobi (perceived by his peers to be the weakest Akatsuki) and 2. a Sharingan user aiming to control or become the ultimate Sharingan user outside of Madara (given they are not the same person). So yeah, as ridiculous as that explanation sounded at the time Pein said it, it has to seem even more insignificant now. All this (kind of) deception and risk for the sake of economic dictatorship is absurd.

And for suppressing bijuus (and their chakra) to be the extent of Sharingan's true power would be dumb if you cant make a bijuu do what you want. In fact we just saw Sasuke's control Manda which could be seen as a foreshadowing of Sharingan's true power.