Eh I'm really thinking along the lines of after the sundering when the memory of the unsundered world (even if most of the memory had faded) was still remembered somewhat. They had a perfect opportunity to do what they could to sway the people to their side and allow for the rejoining to happen of their own free will. Also, do everything they could to protect them until they had become unsundered.

The United single race as Varis "drank the kool-aid for" has been proven correct and that they were one at one point as well as the promises of Immortality to a certain degree as well as a certain point of view. Instead they allowed the people to forget. Allowed Hydaelyn to do her propaganda with her chosen Warriors of Light and then screwed over one of the Shards by Igeyohrm causing it to become the void. A perfect opportunity on their part all wasted when they chose the destructive path.