In some cultural situations it is essential to recognize that translation in its many aspects – from the selection of foreign texts to the implementation of translation strategies – may be crucial in the construction of social identities and hence can play an important geopolitical role. In this paper, the author argues that in Latvia, the importance of translations throughout the course of history has been overwhelming. The author analyses the relationship between translations and national literature, as well as the impact of translated literature on the literary polysystem, and consequently on the Latvian language’s development and its cultural evolution in general.