I think that there are probably quite a large number of groups that are trying to control things.
The thing is, stochastic chaos and multiple groups working in concert, in the same general direction, and even at cross-purposes greatly affects their ability to create lasting change that matters (even if only for them).
As such, for any one issue that is “progressing”, there is likely one or more groups working successfully in that direction combined with other groups that are either inadvertently affecting the results, or succeeding or failing to oppose that direction to various degrees.
There are likely vanishingly few examples of a single group attempting to affect a significant issue unopposed.
"You don't need a formal conspiracy when interests converge. These people went to the same universities, they're on the same boards of directors, they're in the same country clubs. They have like interests, they don't need to call a meeting. They know what's good for them."
-George Carlin, from an episode of Politically Incorrect
There are powerful classes of people that oppress you, but not because they go to secret meetings where they plan to, power/capital simply tends to corrupt.
And from our perspective it feels coordinated because the capitalist's punches all come from the same direction: downward from above.
The truth is, they've bled us dry and have begun to turn on and eat one another having conquered the board with little room left to grow/metastasize. That's why entire economic sectors are turning into TimeWarnerHBODiscoveryParamountSoonEtc...
I think the ruling class "controls/exploits some things" and they are "in control" is the difference? Like yes they have bled us dry with their grip but as WikiLeaks, Epstein, Panama papers etc suggests, they weren't really "in control". Right now, there's a decent chance that Pakistan falls to the Taliban and their nukes will be in their hands - is actually anyone "in control" of this situation?
Did anything meaningful come from those leaks? People can try to do stuff to powerful people to reveal their misdeeds, but they've written the laws and are barely bound by the reach of nations in the first place. Few receive consequences for their crimes.
As for existential threats like nuclear weapons, that's it's own can of worms. So yeah, I guess in that respect they're not really in control. But short of nuclear annihilation or the eventual collapse of the human-suitable environment, they seem pretty untouchable.
EDIT: Actually, we even have a great example of the ways they can fly above some world spamming catastrophes: COVID 19 happened. Many died, many more lost their livelihoods, homes, etc. Meanwhile many of the rich got to take private transportation to private places so they could wait out the pandemic in safety while their companies' profits increased and they used that increased wealth to buy up even more capital.
I'd seriously doubt any claims that there's some cabal that deliberately caused it, but they sure do have the means to escape the worst of disasters and even exploit them for profit.
