The fact that power of speakers matter is very valid while those speakers are centered on the ethnocentric level of care, or lower (see eg Integral theory by Ken Wilber: Loevinger; Spiral Dynamics etc). But when society as a whole develops, they care more about other groups and humankind as a whole. Then it is much easier to do adopt a lingua franca than serves them all rather than just forcing smaller nations to use language of the hegemon of the time.
The fact that power of speakers matter is very valid while those speakers are centered on the ethnocentric level of care, or lower (see eg Integral theory by Ken Wilber: Loevinger; Spiral Dynamics etc). But when society as a whole develops, they care more about other groups and humankind as a whole. Then it is much easier to do adopt a lingua franca than serves them all rather than just forcing smaller nations to use language of the hegemon of the time.