Influence exists everywhere because without influence the studies wouldn't exist in the first place.

And people need careers, successful publications and grants make that possible.

That isn’t to say everything is trash— lots of good stuff is still done with these requirements.

Unless you have a wealthy aristocracy and some of them are bored so they create a lot of the major science of past couple of centuries.

Get a private wealthy benefactor that likes your work, then you can avoid undue influence.

Now the influence just comes from the wealthy benefactor and his interests

Works best when the benefactor is your dead parents.

..until the wealthy benefactor decides to exert it anyway