There is an interesting selection process at work here: power brokers rubbing elbows with other power brokers, forming trust bonds and learning who can or can't

There is an interesting selection process at work here: power brokers rubbing elbows with other power brokers, forming trust bonds and learning who can or can't be trusted not to spill the beans (with all parties knowing that a single infraction means no more invites). I believe this is the root of the varying forms of "Illuminati" paranoia that have become so pervasive in popular culture. There need not be a single agency or agenda proactively manipulating the world; rather, all it takes is the self-interest of powerful individuals, who recognize the value in keeping secret deals secret, and the aspirationally powerful who recognize this dynamic and conduct themselves accordingly, in the hopes that they'll get invited to the club. Of course, leaks do happen, but what's so elegant about this system is that it is so blandly informal, looking like little more than the rich indulging themselves.