Agree!
 I m looking for Time to write an article on that point ;) glad you started to discuss some interesting point @krnel
Steem reproduce the system and any 'fake' democracy based on elections where money control everything and allow the richest to buy Power and influence. 
If you want something fair and equal you have to look into two important and mandatory points :

- people have to be involved and participate on writing the rules in equal right. If not. The richest will Always choose rules that fit their interest and stake. Dpos solves Sybil attack issue but somehow also  brings the ''i have more money = more power" issue which basically leads to have rules that benefit to the richest as usual..  this cant be a equal right system and is not designed to be. Your voice count on steem only if you are able to invest enough money to be in top stakeholder

- election is a rigged system that allow the richest to buy power . By 'buying' votes using their stack as minnow (poor masse) are easily corruptible :) if you want to have fully equal right system the only solution is to work with **Sortition** + ability to revoke Bad behaviour + short period gouvernance and equal voting right for people. (To have that it cannot be weighted by stake but if it's not we need KYC to solve Sybil or other solutions..)


Concl: steem is a very cool system and it can still disrupt many things and bring alot of value but it's definitely not design to bring  voice and value back to people on a fair and equal way ;) 
If something like that is getting build please keep me  informed i'd like to participate. I've been working on these questions for years..

Sorry for mistakes in this post made with my phone ;)
I will try to develop later on my computer i dont want ppl to misunderstand my point as I dont trully believe that everyone having equal right could actually work. But all i know is that steem is not design to be that project @krnel ;)