My (very) limited understanding of Michel Foucault's concept of governmentality suggests this would fit right in. Positive thinking as social control builds internalized norms that permit and favour a structural status quo. This prevents people from recognizing non-hierarchical power arrangements as unjust or even present. Any such public conversation is impossible to even begin, even if we are aware of the need.

We trouble ourselves looking for some government-business conspiracy that permitted this or that outrageous bailout or scandal but all the tools that are needed have already been internalized by people. And people and their institutions replicate this governmentality all on their own — we don't need riot police because we naturally “govern ourselves”.

This also does away with notions about top-down authoritarianism — which may have always been a myopic way of looking at things. These social norms — positive thinking, for instance — are taught in schools, families, in small talk on elevators.

'Green shoots' in the economy conversations are just one expression. Consider how often an action is or isn't taken because someone close to you simply says “it'll be okay.” That's impressive, if quiet, power.