Shadowrun's Dystopia: Active or Passive?, Is it Apple's interference or Microsoft's apathy? Options

[suoq]

Note: I don't view Shadowrun as a Dystopia. I find it a reflection of our times, no better, no worse. I graduated high school in 1984 (and found Shadowrun then a reflection of those times). My parents grew up in the Great Depression. Your mileage may vary.

That being said, assuming you find Shadowrun or parts of Shadowrun a dystopia, do you feel it's an active dystopia, where the actions of the powerful are deliberately trying to assert control over the masses or do you find it's a passive dystopia, where the powerful simply doesn't care about the masses.

Things to consider might be:
1) Do the powerful fear the masses?
2) Do the powerful react to the demands of the masses or do the powerful only appear to react to the demands of the masses or do the powerful clearly not care.
3) Do the masses fear the powerful?
4) Is that fear realistic?
5) Bread? Circuses?