A secret set of rules, a single party that is the judge, jury and executioner, an opaque resolution process that involves backchannels rather than merit, and no oversight ? Is that really something to accept as inevitable ?

Yes, networking is inevitable. Transparency and accountability are hedges against this, but incentives aren't there short of some sort of massive public pressure.

Massive public pressure means.... sounds like legislation to me.

Yes. It’s literally called “The Iron Law of Oligarchy.”