I'd say it is normal, the vast majority of time since humans started living in cities have been like this. A society based on a corrupt system structured to concentrate wealth and power in the hands of a ruling class.

The abnormal time period is our brief flirtation with systems aimed to harness competition between the powerful in service of the masses. But it doesn't seem this can survive without rules to limit the power of the super rich to control the media & create monopolies.