That's an interesting and thoughtful response; for which I thank you.

I've been trying to shut this thread down, but that deserves at least some response. so I'll hope you'll forgive me for picking out and responding to one line of your post:

If there are no gods, how are decisions to be made? How is anything to be done, for better or worse, without being no sooner done than undone?

Never did I suggest that the Gods should disappear; nor even that Tye should not be a God.

If you read the title question carefully, I asked how did it come about that one person came to exercise such total and capricious will over the running and maintenance of this site.

It is well documented that Tye & I do not play well together, but it was not a "personal" thing. I wasn't seeking to depose him, nor offering to replace him. Just questioning whether his authority was achieve by accident or design; and whichever, whether it is a good thing.

Then someone -- I unfortunately blamed Tye, but have since been convinced (reliably informed) to the contrary -- messed with my account. For daring to ask the question.

And thus, the question and the debate that might have been, has been effectively dodged & defused into a "just BrowserUk shouting the odds" event. Clever management.

You'll note that no one from management has even attempted to respond to the question. Whatever comments they have made have been either righteous indignation or sock-puppeted poison-the-well distraction. Cleverly stage-managed and silently supported.

But, that mostly came after the general apathy was evident; and thus overkill.

There is nothing to be done; because they won't even address the question. And will use every means -- fair or foul -- to suppress it. They hold the cards, and that's the end of it.