Chapter 390 The Landlord is the Real Trouble (First Update, Please Subscribe)
Due to the backwardness of communication means, Zhu Xianhai did not know that Zuo Zongtang was planning to sign a trade treaty with the British. The so-called treaty was actually a cover. What was the real consensus?
It must be an expression of approval for Nanhua's actions in the La Plata River area. In return, Nanhua will export airships to Britain.
Although the draft of the secret agreement had not yet been signed, Zuo Zongtang and Ambassador Edward Thornton still agreed to it together.
However, Zhu Xianhai, who was in Buenos Aires, knew nothing about this.
"We are now basically in control of Buenos Aires Province and the two neighboring provinces. The next step is to attack the other provinces. The troops must attack quickly, cut the Gordian knot, and strike hard. We will try to completely solve the problems in the other provinces before the New Year..."
As they talked, they walked to the study at the end of the corridor, which is now Zhu Xianhai's office.
Although it is a study, the office is still one of the most luxurious rooms in the building. It is large enough and extremely quiet. There is a green lawn outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, which is very suitable for a person to think about problems quietly.
They did not discuss the topic of other provinces for long. The population and strength of those provinces were very limited. They could not even produce their own weapons. There was no suspense at all in defeating them.
"Don't worry, Marshal. I'll definitely let you hear good news before autumn. If everything goes well, we might be able to get rid of them all before the end of the first month of the year."
Sun Hu's answer made Zhu Xianhai laugh.
"Then I will wait for your good news. In this battle, we are mainly training soldiers and practicing tactics. With this battle, our army can be said to have experience in group combat. In the future, we can implement larger-scale group combat. After all, our goal is very big!"
How big is the Marshal's goal?
Although the Marshal did not say anything, the faces of Sun Hu and others who were present all showed anticipation. As soldiers, they certainly longed for war, especially a war like this where the strong bullied the weak, which would simply be sending their heads off.
Maybe they haven't received much education, but everyone knows what the founding heroes rely on? It's military merit! When the Marshal ascends the throne in the future, he will definitely reward them according to their merits. The more victories they win now, the greater the rewards will be in the future!
After discussing military issues for a while, Sun Hu, Wang Dewen, Liang Shan and others got up and left the office. After they left, Qian Deshen walked in with a stack of documents, put the documents on the desk, and saw Zhu Xianhai standing in front of the map, seemingly thinking about something, so he asked.
"The Marshal is thinking about the Paraguayan issue?"
As Zhu Xianhai's secretary, Qian Deshan certainly knew that the Marshal had been coveting Paraguay for a long time. Now that Argentina has been dealt with, the next target will definitely be Paraguay.
"Paraguay is not a problem at all. After we deal with Argentina, Paraguay will be just a side job. Now the Brazilian army is still occupying Paraguay. We can stir up some incidents on the border and take them down. Anyway, if we occupy one Argentina, the South American countries will be full of hostility towards us. If we occupy two, they will also be full of hostility. There is no difference..."
In the face of strength, hostility and dissatisfaction are simply not worth mentioning. Just like the United Kingdom now, if they want to deal with that country, they can do it. What can those weak and small countries do to them?
Maybe South China does not have the strength of Britain, but it can still show off when facing the big cowards in South America.
"If you take it, you take it. If you hit it, you hit it."
Turning around and walking to the desk, Zhu Xianhai did not look at the documents that had just been delivered, but said with a frown.
"I'm thinking about another thing. Now that we have occupied Argentina, we must consider how to rule this land, including how to rule the people on this land!"
Pointing at the documents on the table, Zhu Xianhai looked out the window and asked.
"Do you know the history of this manor?"
"I heard that it originally belonged to a Spanish noble, then to a revolutionary hero after independence, then to a relative of Rosas, and finally after several twists and turns, it fell into Johnson's hands."
As a subordinate, one must try to figure out the thoughts of the superior. Even though Dong Gong did not say it, Qian Deshan still tried to figure it out from the perspective of the manor owner.
"Mr. Dong is worried about those British landlords?"
The current owner of this manor is a British expatriate, and Britain happens to be Nanhua’s biggest imaginary enemy.
"The British do need to be worried. According to the statistics of the Investigation Department, among the 233 large landowners in Buenos Aires Province, 62 are British. These people are only a part of it. In Buenos Aires Province, there are a total of 935 landlords who own more than 68,000 square miles of land, which is nearly 180,000 square kilometers of land. And how big is the total area of Buenos Aires Province? 300,000 square kilometers! But there are almost one million people living here! Most of the land is occupied by landlords. In other provinces, landlords occupy almost all the land. Almost everyone is a tenant of the landlords, and most people depend on the landlords for their livelihood."
Gazing at the green grass outside the window, Zhu Xianhai said in a deep voice.
"This is Argentina, and in fact, South America. What is the 'Caudillo System'? What is the core of this system? It is economically dependent on large estates and large landowners, and politically dependent on military dictatorship to maintain its political rule."
This system did not come into being after the independence of South American countries. Instead, it was specially established by the Spanish in order to maintain their colonial rule in South America. They distributed a large amount of land to officers and soldiers, and ordinary immigrants lived on the farms of soldiers.
"And who are those soldiers? They are big landowners themselves. Whether it's Rosas, Urquiza, or Lopez, they are all big landowners. As big landowners, they strictly control their families, managers, servants, bonded farmers, tenants, etc. They enjoy absolute authority and implement patriarchal rule. Big landowners can listen to complaints from their subordinates, enforce the law, and generally hold court trials. They are like monarchs of a country within a country;"
In those places where the emperor is far away, the king's authority exists only in documents and in people's words.
Who is the real king?
It is the landowners who own the land and population who are the real rulers of those areas.
"On the one hand, the large estates have a large amount of arable land, livestock and various farm tools, engaged in agricultural and animal husbandry production, and on the other hand, there are craftsmen such as carpenters, iron workers, bakers, tailors and candle makers, who specialize in handicraft production. Their products can almost meet the needs of the entire estate. Generally, only a small number of valuables and luxury goods need to be purchased from abroad. It is a typical self-sufficient economic form that combines agriculture and family handicrafts. They organize their own private armed forces to protect the estate and expand their own power!"
When talking about those manor owners, Zhu Xianhai didn't feel that he had any similarities with them. They were just a group of local tyrants, and himself... well, actually, he was almost the same, except that he rose a little faster.
"Like Rosas, who ruled Argentina before him, he was originally a landowner. He organized the Indians, gauchos and blacks from his own and neighboring lands into armed forces and appointed himself as the commander of the militia. Later, he led this armed force to participate in the struggle of the Buenos Aires government led by Rodriguez against the inland leaders, and was finally appointed the commander-in-chief of the provincial army of Buenos Aires Province."
From landlords to warlords, and from warlords to national leaders, these are the so-called "Caudillos", which is of course what Zhu Xianhai has always been wary of.
"In South America, almost every Caudillo-style leader has a similar path to rise, and these people are the biggest hidden danger to our rule over Argentina and South America in the future!"
(End of this chapter)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
