Chapter 819 The Maker of World Rules
The "super line of defense" provides more jobs for citizens. This is not empty talk, nor is it a joke.
The logic of the initial "economic crisis" was this:
Wealth is concentrated in the hands of a few capitalists, and citizens have no money to spend or buy goods.
This results in capitalists having goods but being unable to sell them. At the same time, capitalists cannot give goods to citizens for free because this will cause more goods to remain unsold.
If citizens can get goods for free, who would be willing to buy them with money?
As a result, the capitalists had no choice but to pour out the unsold milk, destroy the goods, and finally lay off a large number of employees or even go bankrupt.
On the other side citizens are starving due to lack of goods.
Buyers and sellers are stuck, like a rusty machine stuck at a certain point and unable to move.
All you need at this point is a little lubricant.
Roosevelt's New Deal built 250,000 miles of roads.
Building roads is not like farming or raising cattle, but it can allow citizens to eat bread and drink milk.
Because it is the lubricant: the money in the hands of capitalists flows back to the citizens through infrastructure, and when the citizens have money, they buy all kinds of daily necessities, thereby revitalizing factories that are in a state of unsalable goods. Ultimately, the entire society breaks out of the vicious circle and enters a virtuous circle.
The purpose of the Shire's "super defense line" is similar.
It plays a very limited role in the military, but it can transfer the wealth of capitalists to the hands of impoverished citizens.
Charles can almost be said to be a middleman. If we ignore the fact that Charles took a portion of the profits, the capitalists were actually forced into bankruptcy by Charles' Bernard Group, while the citizens received a wage to survive because they had a job.
"It's a redistribution of benefits," Charles said to Gallieni.
"I think it's good for the citizens, don't you?"
"If you object, I can scrap this 'super defense' plan."
"The choice is yours, General!"
Gallieni was stunned by what Charles said.
He doesn't understand economics. He thinks that anything "useless" is a "waste", "useless work", and "a waste of time and money".
But Charles's argument makes sense, building a useless "super defense line" but leaving citizens with money.
What's going on?
"The root cause is that the capitalists exploit the citizens too much, General," Charles explained:
"I won't do that. I will give them higher wages, better living conditions, and better social security."
"Others don't, they just want to exploit as much as possible from citizens."
“The end result is strikes, marches, protests, and the capitalists use the military to suppress them.”
Gallieni was silent.
This is indeed what has been happening over and over again over the years, and it was already like this before the war.
After thinking for a moment, Gallieni stared at Charles and asked: "So, who can guarantee that you will not do the same thing in the future? I mean, exploit the citizens in every possible way?"
This actually goes back to the issue of "dictatorship" and "freedom".
Charles’s current intentions may be good, but that is “dictatorship”, and if he turns into a bad guy one day, the damage he could cause would be much greater than that of the capitalists.
The capitalists may look bad now, but they are a group, they check and balance each other and fight each other, and Gallieni believes that this will maintain a balance.
"I can't guarantee that, General." Charles asked back, "But do you think it can be worse than it is now?"
Gallieni was stunned, then nodded slowly.
The war that is going on now is being waged by the capitalists for their own interests, otherwise they would have negotiated an armistice with Germany long ago.
Death, hunger, disease, poverty, etc., these torment citizens all the time, and Britain is no exception.
Could it get any worse than it already is?
Finally, Gallieni nodded: "Do what you want, but I have to warn you, little one, I will be watching you!"
"Of course, General." Charles said with a confident smile on his face.
Charles is not as short-sighted as other capitalists.
His goal is not just to make money, but to lead France to become the rule maker of the world. It’s just that Britain and the United States have not yet realized this.
…
The capitalists have already taken action against Charles.
Being sensitive to capital, they noticed that Charles took advantage of the decline in asset values to make large acquisitions and quickly occupied the commanding heights in several industries that were related to the country's lifeline.
But of course, at this time they did not dare to challenge Charles openly.
It is no exaggeration to describe Charles at this time as having all the power in the government.
The government included Prime Minister Clemenceau and Army Minister and Reserve Army Commander Gallieni.
The former is responsible for controlling parliament, while the latter is responsible for strategy, supplies, logistics, public security and public opinion.
In the business world, there is Dejoka in France and the UK, Joseph in the US, and the Bernard Group also controls a large number of high-tech industrial property rights.
In the military, there was Charles, who formed an iron triangle with Pétain and Foch. Gamelin and the Army Group East could only survive in a corner.
The intelligence system consists of "The Lady in White" and "The Second Bureau", which are divided into civilian and official, one secret and one open, becoming Charles's ears and eyes.
…
Who is so ignorant as to dare to openly provoke Charles?
Therefore, the capitalists had to secretly release news that was unfavorable to Charles:
"Charles is trying to control France, and he uses his power to control too many resources."
"Yes, a large amount of land and factories were acquired by Bernard Company, and we all know that Bernard Company belongs to Shire."
"From now on, Charles will be the only capitalist that farmers and workers will have to deal with!"
…
On the surface, this set of rhetoric may seem insignificant. It does not contain any extreme words and can even be said to be very mild.
However, this cleverly shifts the contradictions between peasants, workers and capitalists onto Charles:
You are living a poor life and dissatisfied with your jobs, so you are marching in protest.
So now that Charles is the owner of the land and the factory, are you living a good life?
If not, then go and protest to Charles, it is he who has taken away your land and exploited your labor!
Most farmers and workers choose to trust Charles. After all, Charles has always had a good reputation.
However, when it comes to their survival, they can't help but feel anxious and doubtful.
At this time, the lobbyists hired by the capitalists instigated the discussion and soon there were voices of discussion:
"Charles did acquire a lot of land and factories. Why did he do that?"
"Isn't the money earned from the military factory enough? I heard that he also owns many mineral resources."
"Will he exploit us like other capitalists? Maybe all capitalists are the same!"
…
Just as people were quietly speculating, the Bernard Group dropped a bombshell:
"From today, every household can rent a certain amount of land for farming or livestock according to the labor force, and the rent is only 1% of the output, and there is no need to bear land tax."
(End of this chapter)
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