I see a lot of people focusing on blaming various entities like the UN, IMF, Feds, etc for the ailments of the world. I believe that focus to be in error.

Lets take Obama for instance. He didn't get elected by having 10 bucks in the war chest. The song and dance about individual donations doesn't wash either. Corporate/pac donations are the life blood of a presidential campaign. His support base includes corporations who own media. Through that, he and his ilk tried to close down opposing news organizations through various hatchet jobs and shills.

At the end of the day, the people who pull the purse strings (and I don't mean even million dollar ones, I am talking multi-billion dollar strings, they are the ones who control the majority of real power in the world.

The conspiracy theory types would have us believe it's a dark plan by some evil eyed hidden elite group, but that is just BS. It's nothing more than the age old power struggle of one group or another. There is no rhyme nor reason other than attempting to get a leg up on opposing groups.

Within corporations there are always those attempting to set themselves up a little fiefdom. These are the people that suck up to the boss while trying to figure out a way to take their job to expand their power base and influence. That goes for about any business or entity that employees more than just a few people.

After time, the weaker ones are consumed by the stronger ones. Eventually the strongest of the lot get into management/VP/CEO/mayor/congressman/senator/president status. Once there is no more room to move up, do you think they simply just turn off the drive that got them there?

That's when they turn their sights to their corporate/political peers. Attacking them in an effort to put them out of business.
They will always strive to expand their influence. For these kind of people, it is never enough.

At this stage of world events and time, it is no longer 'governments' but those that effectively own the governments by proxy. The world has gotten to a point where there are no 'frontiers' to speak of that are easy kills.
We have the oceans, and space, but the earth itself is effectively owned with what little that wasn't, now in contention (think natural gas and oil under the north pole).

This concentration of wealth, and who it is concentrated with matters. That wealth represents power of influence. When that gets concentrated into a small group, then it gets ugly. We've seen the results of that already.

The IMF and EU have pulled off the gloves, in the currency war. Take the Greeks for instance, they are owned lock stock and barrel, and have just come to that realization. They where put into debt by politicians promising a chicken in every pot, and now that the bill for those social programs has come due, they are squirming and realizing they are effectively 'owned'. No wonder they rioted in the streets.

With a small group of international corporations owning the vast majority of the worlds wealth, those corporations will be forming alliances and attempting to take control of peers. Unfortunately for us, that means major players will fall in the crossfire, players like China, Russia or EU, and US depending on who 'wins' that one.

Conspiracy or good old fashion greed and sloth? The end result leaves joe and jane citizen SOL though I do believe it's more the latter.