[StanislavPetrov]

>but it is not, as far as I can tell, an organisation with an agenda of populace control that those powerful people suborn themselves to.

They aren't suborning themselves to anyone. The organization is comprised of those powerful people, who are the ones coming up with the agenda and hoisting it upon the rest of us.

[wizzwizz4]

This understanding is not obviously wrong, and we have now reached the limit of my understanding. Congratulations: you do indeed appear to be the first. Thank you for rising to the challenge.