You would like the world to be that simple, wouldn't you?

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You don't think there is and has been a trend for supranational control for some time?

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These people WANT this control. And they imagine themselves as at least low level controllers, because they are so loyal to such establishment.

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Trend, for sure. There are always people who are for that.

The difference at the moment, as, say, compared to 19th century Britain, 18th century Russia, and many others at the same as well as at different times, is that at this point in time, empires are frequently attempted to be built without much war.

I consider that an improvement.

As we are a physically small country and an underpopulated nation, our best bet, it seems to me, is to sail close to a strong, but not violence-oriented block, such as EU, and try to steer it, insofar, as we have any influence at all, along the existing status quo (that would be, away from too much federalization, and away from too much decentralization). And, by the way, the level of influence we have as a member of EU, is unprecedented for a country of our smallness.

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Well it would seem we both share a desire to hold a simplistic world view, old chap.

There are, indeed, always people who are up for supranational control, and sometimes with rather unpleasant intentions. Regarding the EU and the 'upper management' that I alluded to higher up this thread, I would point out that they (corporations, banks and so on) constitute a formidable lobbying power on the Commission. I used to have to travel to Brussels a couple of times a year and if you got the bus from the airport you'd see the their HQs dominate the view.

As regards the influence Latvia has on the EU, I ought to point out that she has no influence on monetary policy, little influence on immigration policy (I'm referring to the majority vote in 2015), and if she is still part of the fiscal pact, little room for, let's say Keynsian economic policy. Regarding the Parliament she has 8 or 9 MEPS out of 751, so I am assuming that the unprecedented influence you state she has comes from the Council?

Back to the upper management: when I watched the Event 201, I saw a carve up of pie subtly negotiated by the interest groups. You could view it simply as that if you like. The extent to which their strings are being pulled (or not) is another question. One, I suspect you have an aversion to considering or discussing.

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What you say is relatively true, regarding Latvia's current influence, but what are you comparing it with?

Do you think things would be geopolitically in any way better for Latvia, if it was outside EU? I would consider it a pipe dream, but I am open to arguments as to why that might not be true.

It seems best, if we could compare to some other country of more or less similar size, in Europe, outside EU. That gives us Albania, Serbia, Montenegro, North Makedonia and Moldova. I welcome comparisons.

I have no aversion to considering strings being pulled. I just don't see it as very productive, as (a) we have little reliable information, and (b) even if we have much information, what means do we have to do anything about whatever information we have? However, we can discuss whatever you would like to, for sure.

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Might be nicer to do that over a beer or two than on social media :)

In general, though, and I suppose I am still stung from the 'simple-world-view' jibe, it seems that you agree with my point, more or less. I mean to the extent that a kind of supranational power exists, which obviously requires management that incorporates interest groups. That is pretty much all I had stated. I think it is especially important to recognise this when it comes to changes that will be brought about in our lives as a result of the reaction to CvD - i.e, for whose benefit are these changes?

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Essentially I agree with you on that.

What might be the misunderstanding I caused, is that I don't believe in efficient supranational conspiracies whereby a small group of individuals pull the world strings with very meaningful goals (especially long term goals). That was the idea of my "world is not that simple" comment.

However, at all times there are groups and factions (especially those with already some power) who wish to impose things to their advantage on larger communities. That seems to me to be just the nature of humanity.

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