I'm playing whack-a-mole in Siberia

Chapter 706: Multiple Choice Questions for the Rich

Alpha is not a secret organization.

Like the secret police of the Russian Empire, although the personal identities of the secret police were kept secret, the secret police organization was known to everyone.

George needs Alpha to have a huge deterrent power. It would be best if people would think of Alpha's ability to chase him to the ends of the earth when they mention it. Only in this way can George achieve his desired goal.

In the Tsarist era, even if one tried to assassinate the Tsar, the punishment would be exile to Siberia. This level of punishment had no deterrent effect at all.

Stolypin went on a killing spree, and Russians at the time gnashed their teeth when they mentioned the "Stolypin tie".

But during Stolypin's rule, the Russian Empire's average annual economic growth rate reached 10%, creating an economic growth miracle belonging to Russia.

After Bronstein's death, all Russian media published the news.

Now all Russians know that George’s attitude towards traitors is that even if you hide your identity and run to South America thousands of miles away, as long as the Russians find you, you will definitely get the punishment you deserve.

With this understanding, if you want to do something that you shouldn’t do, you must weigh whether the benefits are proportional to the costs.

George now needs another case about time.

Alpha's current attitude is that the deadline for hunting down traitors is: forever.

Even if you are already dead when Alpha finds you, your bones must be reduced to dust.

Such is the cruel attitude towards traitors.

George is even more ruthless when dealing with foreigners who commit crimes in Russia.

The vast majority of members of the Provisional Executive Committee have dual citizenship.

This is determined by Russia's reality.

The Russian Empire was actually also a pluralistic country, with dependent states such as the Grand Duchy of Finland, the Kingdom of Poland, the Khanate of Brahma, and the Khanate of Khiva within the empire.

If he only had dual citizenship of Blaha and the Russian Empire, it would be acceptable.

Many Russians hold both Russian and German citizenship, which makes George very uncomfortable.

During the World War, Russia was "strongly" protested by France for executing a member of the Provisional Executive Committee who had dual Russian and French citizenship.

This matter was exposed by the French opposition party.

The French government said it strongly protested, but in reality it was not that strong.

This is understandable. After all, it is impossible for the French government to remain indifferent to Russia's execution of French people.

As a democratic party, we must be accountable to the voters for everything.

You see, I protested, and I protested strongly.

But the barbaric Russians don't respect me, and there's nothing I can do. I can't tear up the alliance between Russia and France just because of this.

In order to prevent similar incidents from happening again, George asked Witte and Igor to brief the dependent states and the Duma respectively to discuss whether it is necessary to abolish dual citizenship.

"If it's a discussion, then there's no need for discussion—"

Igor is not optimistic about the efficiency of the Duma.

Dual citizenship is a talisman for many people.

Especially for the rich.

More than 60% of Duma deputies have dual citizenship.

Including many military representatives.

Therefore, if this issue is submitted to the Duma for discussion, there is really no need to discuss it, because it will definitely not be passed.

"If dual citizenship is abolished, can the nobility status of the dependent country be retained?"

Werther's question is more acute.

The Russian Empire is gone. If dual citizenship is abolished, can the identity of the Grand Duke of Finland be retained?

Even if it could be retained, the Grand Duke of Finland would not agree.

A grand duke in name only, like Dmitry, is completely different from a grand duke with real power, like George.

George doesn't have to give up the title of Grand Duke.

Many grand dukes and their families rely on this title to make a living.

Otherwise, why do so many people want George to ascend the throne?

While they said they hoped George would lead Russia forward, all they were thinking about was hereditary succession.

"If you want to force the abolition of dual citizenship, then there will naturally be no controversy-"

Like Witt, Igor also holds the title of Count.

If George wanted to force his way through, what difference would he make from the Tsar who held all the power?

“Is abolishing dual citizenship in the interests of the vast majority of Russians?”

George addresses the problem at its root.

"Yes."

Both Witt and Igor agreed.

"very good!"

George has a solution.

The next day, the Constantinople Daily publicly solicited opinions from all sectors of society on whether to abolish dual citizenship.

The method is very simple. An opinion column is published in the newspaper with two options: agree and disagree. Readers can cut out the newspaper of that day, tick the box and fill in their own opinions, and then mail it to the newspaper.

Readers do not need to pay for this kind of letter, the newspaper pays for it.

The result was as George expected. A week later, the Constantinople Daily announced the results, showing that more than 80% of readers agreed to abolish dual citizenship.

This situation immediately caused an uproar in the Duma.

The Duma represents all Russians.

Since more than 80% of Russians are in favor of abolishing dual citizenship, should the Duma follow public opinion?

At the Duma collective meeting, Nikolai Asimov, a Duma member from the Braha Khanate, said it all: "The results of the Constantinople Daily are manipulable and have no reference value."

Igor and little Felix looked at each other, Are you serious?

The findings of the Constantinople Daily are indeed manipulable.

But you can't say this, it could kill people.

There are only two newspapers in Constantinople now, in addition to the Daily News, there is also the Russian News, which is distributed throughout Russia.

After George's repeated rectifications, the professional quality of Russian media practitioners is now very high, and all news that is unfavorable to Russia will not be published.

Don't think it's too much, it's like this all over the world.

In the past, rumors were flying everywhere in St. Petersburg because the public opinion environment was too relaxed.

Do you remember the murder case of Madame Caillaud that all the French people were paying attention to when Archduke Ferdinand and his wife were assassinated?
The editor-in-chief of The Times, Gaston, was shot dead by Mrs. Caillaud just because he published a letter that Finance Minister Caillaud wrote to her 13 years ago in the newspaper.

The editor-in-chief of a French newspaper was shot dead for exposing the finance minister's unethical dealings.

St. Petersburg editors could openly attack the Empress as a German spy in their newspapers with impunity.

Which is more free, France, which considers itself to be a democracy, or the Russian Empire, which is criticized for its feudal autocracy?
If we insist on arguing, we can only say that the French elite are indeed more free than the Russian Empire in illegally depriving others of their lives.

"If you don't believe the results of the Daily News, then what do you believe?"

Little Felix's words made Asimov sweat profusely.

“There is no doubt that the findings of the daily newspaper are fair and beyond doubt.”

Igor made the final judgment.

Let’s discuss it.

The Duma deputies were extremely conflicted.

If they agree to cancel it, Duma deputies with dual citizenship will lose a talisman.

If you disagree, the consequences will be more serious.

Is there any need for the Duma, which disregards public opinion, to exist?

Grand Duke Yuriev didn't even need to say anything; the angry people of Constantinople could tear the Duma deputies to pieces.

"If that's the case, then we might as well just dissolve the State Duma!"

Asimov gave up everything.

"The Duma will definitely not be dissolved. But if you don't want to represent Russians, you can give up your Russian citizenship."

Igor said that the earth will continue to rotate without anyone.

Asimov was completely bewildered.

Not to mention Asimov, even if Russia lost George, it would not be the end of the world.

“No one should take themselves too seriously.”

Little Felix smiled.

Although dual citizenship has its historical reasons, the harm it brings is so great that it has indeed reached the point where it must be abolished.

In order to attract population, immigration countries like the United States recognize dual citizenship, but it is still not encouraged in policy.

Russia is not an immigration country, and now is the best time to abolish dual citizenship.

Given George's prestige, even wanting to cancel dual citizenship would cause such huge controversy.

Changing to someone else would only make it more difficult.

"Today's Russia is different than ever before. We all have to choose between Russia and other countries. Even Russia's vassal states must put Russia's interests first."

Igor is in favor of abolishing dual citizenship.

Even if Russia falls into a new round of civil war as a result, Igor will firmly support the abolition of dual citizenship.

In a country like Russia, once a crisis breaks out, a rich person can take his other passport and flee to his other homeland.

Where did ordinary Russians flee to?
No way to escape!
We can only share life and death with Russia.

"If you do this, you will damage the prestige of the Grand Duke."

Asimov was still struggling.

"No, no, no. The abolition of dual citizenship is precisely to maintain the prestige of the Grand Duke in the eyes of ordinary Russians."

Igor is Russian, pure Russian, without any second nationality.

"Okay, so is the Grand Duke Russian, or is he the King of the Grand Duchy of Yuriev?"

Asimov was doomed to failure.

"When did the Grand Duke admit that he was the King of the Grand Duchy of Yuriev?"

Igor was curious.

The Grand Duchy of Yuriev was just a tool for the East Indies to fight for its own interests, and George never recognized that he was the king of the Grand Duchy of Yuriev.

When Bolis was invited to serve as the King of Bulgaria, he had to swear on the Bible that he would be loyal to the interests of the Bulgarian Kingdom.

Asimov quietly left Constantinople that night and headed for France.

Igor publicly called on Asimov to return to Constantinople and cancel his Russian citizenship, otherwise the Russian government would confiscate Asimov's property in Russia.

Asimov did not return to Constantinople; his assets in Russia had already been disposed of during the World War.

Even Witt did not expect that the resistance to abolishing dual citizenship was not as great as he imagined.

No matter whether rich people have straight butts or not, at least their IQ is fine.

Russia has gone from chaos to order and is on the right track.

This is not a multiple choice question at all.

(End of this chapter)