I don&#x27;t think there was a conspiracy. There doesn&#x27;t need to be direct collusion when those in government and business have the same long-term goals.<p>I think the people in office sincerely believe that governments should be run like a business. Businesses are typically organized with an authoritarian model rather than a democratic system. Hence the preference for a dictatorial emergency manager who is supposed to be able to be more effective than a democratically elected city counci.<p>Businesses are typically run with a profit motive, and rarely have human rights, like the right to drinkable water, in mind, much less paramount.<p>Finally, I&#x27;ll quote from the recent Pussy Riot song, which quotes Chaika: &quot;Be loyal to those in power, &#x27;cause power is a gift from God, son.&quot; I don&#x27;t know if it&#x27;s accurate for Michigan, but it fits the general authoritarian model.