The War Court and Lap Pillow, Austria's Mandate of Heaven

Chapter 1887 Solution
Lasalle was somewhat speechless, feeling like a scholar encountering a soldier.

If you explain it in too much detail, the other person won't understand. If you explain it in too little detail, you won't be able to explain it clearly yourself.

LaSalle wanted to say that he could definitely do it, but he was also afraid of falling into the trap of self-justification.

Fortunately, debating has always been one of his strengths. Since he couldn't explain it clearly himself, he could just let the other party prove it themselves.

"Without a vote, how do you know the emperor will speak for you?"

“He gave us money, gave us days off, and killed those bad guys. I saw it all.”

Are you sure what you're seeing is real? Is there some other scheming behind it?
Is he afraid of your power? Or is he for some other purpose? Or is he trying to cover something up?

Lassalle's words confused the worker. He hadn't thought about it and didn't want to think about it that much, so he simply said...

"But he's on our side."

Lasalle was prepared for this and didn't dwell on it.

"You saw it, so you believe him. But what if he wants to do something bad? Do you have a way to deal with that?"

The significance of a vote lies in the fact that you can test whether someone truly speaks for you.

If he does well, we'll choose him again next time; if he doesn't do well, we'll replace him next time.

You should have this right. If you don't, then your current life is nothing but a mirage, and you will lose it sooner or later.

Your happiness or unhappiness is merely a matter of the monarch's word.

However, the man still had some doubts about Lassalle's statement.

"But if it were any other master, wouldn't everything we have be decided by a single word from them?"

Lassalle finally lost his temper and said angrily.

"You can replace him! Use your votes!"

The man was still somewhat intimidated by the elegantly dressed man with a cane (a standard accessory for Prussian elites at the time). He figured the man was probably a gentleman as well, so he spoke in a somewhat aggrieved tone.

"But what if the next one lies to us?"

"Change!"

"Still lying?"

"."

Where were you when those factory owners were exploiting us? Where were you when those gangsters and corrupt officials were running rampant?
Why are you making us do this and that? I want to go home! Please make way.

Lassalle asked several people, but no one agreed with his point of view.

Lassalle also discovered a problem: the truly lower classes had an almost religious-like obsession with the emperor and the empire, with many refusing to communicate and even turning on him with their fists.

As for the assumption that the emperor was a bad person, at least in Prague, no one believed it. After abdicating, the former emperor Ferdinand I lived in Hradecky Palace (his residence in Prague).

Ferdinand I loved gardening, and his greatest hobby was sitting under a tree waiting for the fruit to ripen.

The apricot trees that filled Prague were his masterpiece, but Ferdinand I did not keep the fruit for himself, but allowed anyone to pick them.

He himself said he couldn't eat that many dumplings, but people appreciated his generosity.

Ferdinand I often went for walks in the streets or participated in some ceremonial activities, and people had long been used to this somewhat eccentric little old man.

Ordinary people often regarded him as their protector, because as long as they were not killed on the spot, being able to escape into the Khradj Palace meant absolute safety.

No one dared to directly attack the palace or commit violence outside it, and Ferdinand I often took in desperate people without asking why.

Over time, even Ferdinand I's strange behavior of staring at almond trees all day long was seen as having profound meaning, perhaps like another grand duke who loved hunting and traveling, he possessed wisdom that others could not understand.

When that night came, Ferdinand I, despite suffering an epileptic seizure, ordered his soldiers to open the gates and shelter many people.

Czechs find it hard to associate this strange little old man who stares at trees all day with a bad person; in fact, many see him as a victim of Metternich's policies.

On the streets of Prague, Lasalle encountered people with similar thoughts, but received completely different answers.

"The world you described, where everyone is equal, everyone has rights, and everyone can express their opinions, is truly wonderful."

But that's too unrealistic.
The vast majority of people, even if they gain the slightest bit of power, will oppress others just like those nobles and bureaucrats.

History has proven this countless times; neither the British nor the French have escaped this cycle.

Lassalle felt he should take the upper-level approach; dealing with workers might not be suitable for him.

Lassalle wanted to find a big shot to confide in, something he had actually done in the past.

Lassalle and Bismarck had several secret meetings throughout history; these were not chance encounters, but rather deliberate meetings.

The two men focused their discussion on how the Prussian monarchy could ally with the workers against their common enemy, the liberal bourgeoisie.

Lassalle even proposed a rather controversial deal:

“You get His Majesty William to give workers universal suffrage, and I’ll get the workers to support you against the bourgeoisie of the Progressive Party.”

The enemy of my enemy is my friend.

Bismarck also held Lassalle in high regard throughout history:
"I've met him, and I've never regretted it since our first conversation. I've met him about three or four times in total."

Our conversation could never have taken the form of political negotiation. What could Lasalle offer me?
He had nothing behind him, but he attracted me as a person. He was one of the smartest and most likable people I've ever met.

He was very ambitious and by no means a republican. He was a very strong nationalist and monarchist.

His ideal was the German Empire, which is something we have in common.

As I said, he is ambitious and has a grand scale, and there may be reason to doubt it.

In his eyes, did the German Empire ultimately mean the Hohenzollern dynasty or the Lassalle dynasty? Our conversation lasted for hours, and I felt regretful each time it ended.

In fact, Bismarck did refer to Lassalle's ideas, but made some modifications.

Germany was able to introduce the first systematic social insurance system under Bismarck's leadership.

However, his fundamental goal was not to benefit the workers, but to dismantle their organization.

Bismarck soon introduced the Anti-Socialist Law, using both carrot and stick tactics to nip it in the bud.

Why would Lassalle, who so desperately desired an enlightened monarch, harbor such suspicions about Franz?
In fact, to a large extent, Franz went too far, making Lassalle feel that it was not real.

Moreover, Franz's reforms seemed illogical to Lassalle, as the Austrian Empire was incredibly powerful at the time, and almost no country or organization could force it to make concessions.

Instead, they felt it was a conspiracy or a trap.

Lassalle saw that the trade unions in the Austrian Empire were simply incompetent and he felt that he would definitely be hired as the chairman of the trade unions.

However, Lassalle's letter seemed to disappear without a trace. He then published several more radical articles in an attempt to attract the attention of the Austrian authorities, but still to no avail. Just as Lassalle was wondering what was going on, he received a reply from his editor saying that his articles were too bland.

When Lassalle opened the newspapers of the Austrian Empire, he began to question life once again.

Wasn't the Austrian Empire known for its extremely strict censorship of books and newspapers? How come there are all sorts of strange and bizarre things in this book?
The constant clashes and conflicts among various ideologies, doctrines, and theories are overwhelming.
In this life, Hugo did not go to England, but instead went to Strasbourg, the Duchy of Alsace-Lorraine.

However, he was not well-liked here, since no one likes a traitor.

Hugo himself was well aware of this, so after wasting a few years, he decided to try his luck in Austria again.

As a man nearing sixty, Hugo stood out in the examination room.

However, since the Austrian Empire did not have a clear retirement age, Hugo could theoretically have competed with these young people.

Of course, most candidates just thought of him as a fan of officialdom, but in reality, his abilities were far superior to those of the vast majority of candidates.

Unsurprisingly, Hugo passed the test, but this great writer was a troublemaker; he always chose the option that received the most comments.

Judging solely from his less-than-successful political experience in 1848:

The left thought he was too conservative, the right thought he was too radical, the Order Party thought he was too idealistic, and idealists thought he insulted the word "ideal."

Most importantly, he was considered a traitor by the working class, the bourgeoisie, and the king simultaneously.

In fact, Hugo was only loyal to his own beliefs, not to any particular party, which is why he seemed out of place within the system.

However, there is one position that would be very suitable for Hugo: Inspector.

The censors were not prosecutors who liaised with the courts; otherwise, the vast majority of cases in the Austrian Empire would probably have been retried.

Hugo's qualities are actually quite suitable for being an inspector; he would be a good fit to deal with corrupt officials and lawless clergymen.

Hugo's moral fastidiousness made him difficult to bribe, while his so-called humanitarianism prevented him from going to extremes.

As for Hugo's inner struggles, Franz couldn't concern himself with them, since he wasn't the only censor in the entire Austrian Empire.

The problem of vacancies in Bohemia was quickly and completely resolved, and the new government was more honest and efficient, leaving many with a dreamlike, unreal feeling.

After all, not long ago they had to consider who to please and whose connections to reach.

Whether a business in a shop in Bohemia could grow big, and how big it could grow, was not determined by its technology or reputation, but by who was protecting it.

Even if you have extraordinary abilities, those big shots can easily take away an ordinary person's life's work and savings with just a few words.

Similarly, even if a store's products are terrible, it can still thrive for decades as long as there is no competition from other stores.

After the unspoken rule of distribution according to power was broken, a wave of enthusiasm for earning a living based on merit immediately swept across Bohemia.

All sorts of new products and new trends are emerging one after another, and the whole of Bohemia is marching toward becoming the second largest economy in the Austrian Empire.

This rebellion also gave Prague a new opportunity, as the city's transformation had previously been hindered by various forces.

Now, no one can stop this city from following Vienna's example and undertaking a comprehensive reform and expansion.

As the second largest city in the Austrian Empire, Prague's size and infrastructure had long been unable to keep up with the pace of population growth, so it had to be replanned by specialists.

Actually, the design of Prague was finalized in 1845, but at that time there were fewer than 500,000 people, which has now almost doubled.

Franz was presented with three design options. One was to redevelop the existing population area with the goal of creating a megacity with a population of one million.

The advantage is that it can save money and avoid waste, as only minor modifications are needed on the existing basis.

Experts estimated that Prague's expansion had reached its limit at this point, and Prague's potential was insufficient to make it a city on par with Vienna and Paris.

Another option considered Prague's long-term development and the current land prices. They wanted to build Prague into a city as magnificent as Vienna, serving as one of the secondary capitals of the Austrian Empire.

Their reasoning was that Prague's expansion in the decade following Franz's ascension to the throne was the fastest, second only to Vienna.

Considering Vienna's development, they believe Prague could very well become the next Vienna.

Moreover, given its location on the border of the German Confederation, it has to assume more functions and therefore deserves more attention.

Furthermore, now that many noble families' lands and properties have been nationalized, it is a good time for reform. If we wait until these are returned to the people, the path of reform will become extremely troublesome.

Planning ahead can not only save money, but also generate revenue for the country as an investment, since those lands can appreciate in value.

Although Franz had done this before, he didn't like the government's involvement in real estate speculation. The bloody example of the Americans was right before his eyes, and it would be extremely foolish for Austria to make the same mistake.

Another point is that the country has abundant funds, and it seems to have become the norm to use the money for construction.

However, Franz ultimately chose a compromise, not because he was stingy, but because he felt it was unnecessary.

Prague's rapid expansion at this time largely depended on its role as a forward base for the Austrian and German Confederation.

Although Prague itself has a well-developed industry, an industrial city cannot support such a large scale.

Once some of its advantages disappear, Prague's size will quickly return to normal.

Based on later experience, Franz believed that 150 million should be the upper limit for Prague.

Instead of building another megacity of two million people, it would be better to use that money to invest in some more worthwhile regions.

There were still many undeveloped areas within the Austrian Empire; it was far from being at a point where people didn't know where to go.

However, investments also have a marginal effect; more investment does not necessarily mean higher returns. Therefore, this does not contradict Franz's statement that he does not know how to spend money.

The riots in Bohemia were gradually subsiding; after all, only a minority dared to fight to the death, and most chose to surrender.

Franz's principle was naturally to minimize killing, since the colonies still needed people.

However, he was not prepared to let any heinous criminals go unpunished, so the public trial had to continue.

A judgment can only be made based on public opinion and actual collected evidence.

In the eyes of people in this era, being exiled to Africa was almost the same as death, or even a more cruel punishment, because they would never be able to return to their homeland for the rest of their lives.

Therefore, to the people of the Austrian Empire, it seemed like all of them were facing executions. Although it was somewhat bloody, the deterrent effect was outstanding.

While it's not true that people no longer pick up lost items or lock their doors at night, crime has indeed decreased significantly, and even the common fights of this era are almost nowhere to be seen.

However, the number of duels in the stadium has increased by 1000%. Yes, everyone is indeed following the law, but the way to resolve them hasn't changed much.

In fact, the Austrian Empire had never been as enamored with violence as it was at this time, with people believing that violence could solve all problems.

Not only duels, but even revenge cases that had been dormant for centuries began to increase. In fact, this was inseparable from Franz himself; in order to justify his actions, he characterized the war against the Ottoman Empire as revenge.

The overwhelming rhetoric of revenge inspired many people, and what was even more terrifying was that bureaucrats, nobles, the church, and the general public all tacitly accepted it, and even juries would turn a blind eye to it.

Especially in Bohemia at this time, many people would turn a blind eye to revenge, since those villains deserved to die.

Some things are hard to say whether they are right or wrong, but continuing like this is certainly not conducive to order and stability, so Franz can only increase the punishment for revenge and duels.