What was in the public realm is the only thing that matters. The votes in the 70s / 80s, which were the basis of what we have now were about trade, not peace v

What was in the public realm is the only thing that matters. The votes in the 70s / 80s, which were the basis of what we have now were about trade, not peace via trade. you are referring to 'they' without qualifying 'they'. Political union was never on a ballot paper in most countries. In the cases it was (Maastricht referendums) then it was not conclusive . EDIT: Apologies for being anglocentric, but the Labour (dominant political party in UK at the time) didn't seem to include inter-European aggression in its arguments against a supernational state in 1950 https://www.cvce.eu/en/obj/manifesto_by_the_national_executive_committee_of_the_british_labour_party_on_european_unity_may_1950-en-626bf849-0be2-499c-a924-d768c9f05feb.html https://www.cvce.eu/en/obj/manifesto_by_the_national_executi...