We could have exactly what you describe but people just don't step up and take responsibility and leadership.
Its frustrating, exhausting and disheartening to constantly be dragging people into taking care of each other.
Free, competent, altruistically interested
Pick two when looking for leaders.
The "volunteer leader problem" boils down to looking for an altruistic individual who's capable and willing to put up with a ton of shit for... love of X.
There aren't many. There shouldn't be any, but some people are awesome.
In reality, you end up having to substitute some package of incentives (prestige, authority, etc.) in order to entice on-the-fence candidates, and then ride herd on ensuring they don't succumb to their baser instincts.
So when mods say mod tools are important, what they're really saying is: "I put up with a lot of shit, to make you money, and I don't get paid. Give me something in return that makes me feel like you're thankful."
Reddit's been pretty bad, historically and presently, at doing that.
All that is to say, it's one thing to feel like the ratio of hate:love you are getting from users is pretty tilted towards the negative... but getting only empty words and no support from the institutional level is actual injury not just insult. That's why I stand with the mods, and after 10 years or so of daily usage I have left reddit for good (or until reasonable accommodations are made).
Although I'll admit, I've been wanting to break my reddit habits for a long time, so this decision does include some self-interest on my part.
People who can't avoid being assholes to other people tend to avoid actually being around other people, but god knows they'll post a lot online.
Or as a quip I once heard said, "You have a higher floor of politeness to people who can punch you in the face in reply."