Oligarchy (whales) + sycophants (the 'favored few shills) = stagnation of any ecosystem.
There is no incentive for those with 'the power', to change anything (short sighted midwits).
Token price and perception are the only two places of leverage to apply to change the paradigm.
Bad publicity off hive (i.e the truth of how things work, and naming names) is the only pressure 'we' can apply to alter things.
I've been arguing your arguments for the last four years.

As you point out, it's not a free market or capitalism, - it IS more socialistic in nature (reflected in the ethos, with down voting patterns).

Nothing will change without incentives for the TPTB to do so.
This conversation has been going around in circles for 4 years - which 'the powers that be', welcome - as nothing changes. (just like voting for governments)