[BlueTemplar]

Hmm, at which level of generalized corruption does the premise become inverted ?

(This reminds me of Russian milicemen obviously trying to extract bribes from European tourists, the tourists being completely oblivious as to what is going on, and not understanding what the milicemen are very not subtly hinting at that any Russian would immediately recognize, while the milicemen are increasingly getting frustrated at their usual tactics somehow failing to work...)

[bedast]

You can probably apply Hanlon's Razor to figure out whether conspiracy can be the more true or simpler explanation in Occam's Razor.

> Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.

If the actions are clear cut malice, then maybe a conspiracy could be considered the simplest explanation.