>> Is archaeology really just the private stomping ground of the exclusive academics?

It may have been that at one time, but these days it is the stomping ground of large companies who make millions out of it. If you looked deeply enough in to it I'm sure you could find a correlation between archaeo firms lobbying and pre-construction excavation laws. It would be very unusual if the pre-construction excavation laws were introduced purely to save (sorry, record before destroying) our heritage. Money. $$$$$ ker-ching!