The pseudonym policy combined with Google's attempts to integrate G+ into every service they offer was a real threat to the safety of at-risk individuals. There was genuine outrage.
Removing the pseudonym policy and disentangling G+ from other services will both help protect people.
Boston Review published a series of essays on pseudonyms in May 2014, from Reed Hundt (former FCC chairman), with responders including Bruce Schneier, Richard M. Stallman, Jennifer Granick and Evgeny Morozov.
"designing infrastructure for large-scale use of pseudonyms"
This doesn't require much design effort at all. It just requires not building an anti-pseudonym enforcement system.
(I'm not sure it was ever made clear how Google searched out and determined pseudonyms - reports from users? Statistical techniques on "improbable" names? If you used "John Smith" as a pseudonym how likely was it to be discovered?)
Removing the pseudonym policy and disentangling G+ from other services will both help protect people.