Human Nature

[Alan V]

People merely working together toward some common goal is not a conspiracy.  A conspiracy requires coordinated illegal behaviors or, as you say, evidence of such.

Of course, if people ignore the evidence, the facts, then anything goes.  That's why, for many people, compromise has become impossible, since we now see so many bad-faith actors in politics.

So we are back to the powerful against the weak.

Conspiracies do not require illegal activity.  Criminal conspiracies do, but I don't see that this was specified.

... illegal or harmful behaviors ... then.