People can do anything they want. The problem is that they want to be compensated and need to spend money (supplies/facilities etc). In the case of research,

People can do anything they want. The problem is that they want to be compensated and need to spend money (supplies/facilities etc). In the case of research, they are most likely not developing anything that anyone will want to pay for, or else they'd be doing product development and be a business. So they are left to try and get money from others, some might say charity, so that they can carry out thier work. In the US and throughout the world a lot of them are financed through government taxes. There are independent research labs and research positions in companies, but in general they are trying to solve business related problems. "Those mediocrities who get to run the economy" - I'm not sure who you mean exactly, are probably involved in business and thus vvoluntary are interacting with people who value whatever they produce. If you are referring to politicians, well they are adept at spending other peoples money.