Most of the left are now united around a belief that that the state has been ‘captured’, and is significantly under the control of …. something. That ‘something’ is something other than the will of the people. This development has been given a number of names (Neoliberalism or Post-Democracy among others—the latter being my preference).
Broadly, this idea rests on an understanding that purposeful groups (who are able to put enough resources into political activity) have gradually redesigned democracy to suit their purposes and they are now able to direct how our taxes are spent while doing the things that Liberal Democracies are supposed to do in a less socially efficient way. By the time we realise that they’re not doing any of these things properly, it may be too late.