Perhaps because I have a fevered mind, I couldn’t help but put this story together with my recently-acquired knowledge that Germany is crawling with hereditary aristocratic billionaires, who are now referred to as “entrepreneurs” - Dr Farrell mentioned a few in his work on Venetian bankers, but as he probably knows, there are many, many more. Not just Thurn von Taxis and Welf, but various others, all intermarried with other hereditary Euro aristocrats. Then you have families like the Quants, the von Thyssens, et al.
Yet no one ever discusses whether these esteemed folks carry any weight in German or EU politics & policy. Hmm. My bet is they do, just as US billionaires - not just the big names like Soros or Zuckerberg, but all of them - the Marc Benioffs, the Richard Uhleins, on and on - do.
(Maybe I need Loon Control too - or maybe not?
)
I think you are correct in assuming the government is controlled by puppets on a string just like many, many places nowadays. I have read that the aristocracies in Europe especially, pool their resources together to make the class warfare deeper with a strong aim at the middle class. The rich just keep getting richer and the poor keep growing in number. With the soft underbelly of society exposed through war and distress, the change to a one world government dictatorship, that is the plan, is feasible. It is the pyramid scheme where those at the level above are hidden. Who is at the top? Following the money is harder to do with so many front men and shell companies.
I look at who controls whatever power money represents.
Becauce even precious metals arent really valuable outside of a working ecosystem of trade etc.
Even before modern industries there was the control and knowledge in how to mine minerals for various metals.
Also the skill how to make the best weapons and then sell these to various factions.
This then could be used to leverage the trade routes and control several empires through manipulation of prices of goods.
So information was always the most powerful asset.
Information about who knows what etc.
So when looking for the top echelon in todays climate.
Look for the very few that have the ability to spread or stop the pipeline of data.
Someone built the grid and they can also shut it down fast.