Chapter 335 Autonomous Province
The shipbuilding plan of the Kingdom of Prussia surprised Franz. He never imagined that Prussia, who was so focused on the army, would suddenly run to develop the navy.
However, after consulting the development of the Kingdom of Prussia in recent years, Franz understood their approach.
Domestic industry and commerce need cheap raw materials and markets, the European continent has stabilized, and the Kingdom of Prussia has no hope of growing.
According to the current situation, continue to delay, even if the German region is unified, they are also the objects to be unified.
No one is willing to wait to die, and use a wave of navy in peacetime to survive.
In order to make the Junker nobles accept this cruel reality, William I personally acted as a lobbyist and promised benefits.
Whether the overseas colonial expansion government can make a profit is unknown, but the domestic capitalists can certainly make a profit.
If the nobles are willing to act as the main force of the colonization, they will naturally have their share.
This is also the reason why many colonial empires suffered financial losses. The vested interests take too much, they are unwilling to pay taxes to the government, and they throw administrative expenses to the government.
This situation is even more evident in established empires, where the government is unable to suppress these interest groups and does not receive taxes. Coupled with the corruption of the bureaucracy, the wealth was swallowed up, and finally there was a loss.
Losses in the short term are acceptable, but over a long period of time, the government’s financial burden will be exceeded. Domestic interest groups are unwilling to continue to pay for it, and simply allow the colonies to become independent.
The most typical representative is the dominion created by the British. Who would have imagined that the local colonial governments of South Africa, Australia, and India would actually lose money?
The Americans also suffered from this loss at first. In the hands of the Spaniards, the Philippines and Cuba, which can make tens of millions of profits every year, have been losing blood in their hands.
In the end, I lost more than one billion yuan, and I couldn't stand it and let it go. It is the result of the joint action of capitalists and bureaucrats.
After this lesson, the U.S. government clearly recognized its own shortcomings, and even domestic capitalists could not suppress it, let alone overseas colonies.
This is why Franz defined the African colonies as Germany's second home in the first place.
Since it is the second home, it cannot be a simple colonial rule. When the immigrants reach a certain number, they will be localized.
It is a good time to catch up, telegraph technology has made a breakthrough, and the submarine cable to the African continent has almost been laid.
Convenient communication is a necessary factor for localization management. This is only valid for the newly established colonies. The establishment time is too short, the local interest groups have no time to establish and expand, and the bureaucracy has not fallen.
If an old-fashioned colony has formed an interest group, it can only be suppressed by force or a major purge.
To do this, there must be a strong government, but also the strength to suppress rebellion.
...
The intelligence chief Teren handed over a document to Franz and said in a low voice: "Your Majesty, the French are rampant in the Balkans, and they have also purged many people who oppose them. This is the detailed information, please have a look."
After flipping through the information, Franz was in a dazed state. I don't know which genius gave Napoleon III the good idea to use Balkan immigrants to develop overseas colonies.
This is really a good idea. The people of the Balkans are strong, and if these people stay in place, it will not be so easy to rule. Once you go to the colony, it will be different, and you will have no choice but to rely on the French.
Anyway, there are many French colonies. Dispersing and relocating these people will not become the mainstream in any place.
Franz is deeply aware of this point. The Balkan Peninsula is not much more than a large number of ethnic groups, which also means that the population of each ethnic group is not large.
A million people are considered big ethnic groups. At present, there are only two ethnic groups, Bulgaria and Romania. The number of Greeks is approaching one million.
In addition to the most influential factor of war, this is also related to the immigration policy of the Vienna government, which directly makes the Bulgarians the largest ethnic group in the Balkans.
There is no major ethnic group in the French Balkans. There are more than 20 ethnic groups, large and small, with a total of less than 4 million people, and there are many internal conflicts. I know that these people can't hold together if they want to.
Franz hesitated. He didn't know if he should do something now and make some trouble for the French.
After all, the immigration methods of the French are a bit rubbish. Relying on the poll tax to increase immigration can easily cause a backlash. With just a push in the back, an armed explosion will occur.
"Continue to pay attention to the actions of the French. If you have the opportunity, you can provoke the Principality of Montenegro and their contradictions."
Franz is not that John Bull didn't do things that hurt others and not himself. The emigration of the French from the Balkans was also beneficial to Austria. When did this source of turmoil in the province break out again and spread to Austria.
However, the instincts of the foreign powers are still there. Not destroying the French immigration does not mean that they cannot be stabbed.
The Principality of Montenegro is not a peaceful master, but the two neighbors around are too terrifying, and temporarily restrained their ambitions.
For the stability of the Austrian Balkans, Franz decided without hesitation to lead the way.
This is just a small trouble, and it will not affect the plans of the French. Even if there is a conflict, I believe Napoleon III will be able to handle it.
Maybe there is no need to provoke them, they have contradictions themselves. The arrival of the French made the Principality of Montenegro lose the opportunity to annex Albania.
The system has never been good.
...
On Kalimantan Island, a major event that shocked the Southeast Asian region was happening. On September 12, 1861, the flag of the double-headed eagle was hoisted over the Lanfang Republic.
Anyone who knows a little bit of international common sense knows what this flag means.
The Lanfang Republic was also downgraded and became the Lanfang Autonomous Province under the banner of the New Holy Roman Empire, and the name of the Republic was thrown into the long river of history.
No, the name Lanfang Republic was given by Europeans, and the name in the Chinese circle has always been Lanfang Company.
From its own private company to an autonomous province, it can only be regarded as being incorporated. Lanfang chief Liu Asheng was appointed as the first governor.
For the grand celebration outside, Governor Liu was absent for the first time ever. He is still studying the state laws of the New Holy Rome, even if it has been added, in fact, he still has no idea.
Eastern and Western cultures are different. What seems normal to Europeans is shocking to Easterners.
In the eyes of many Orientals, aren't these states the vassal kings? Even the power of the state government is greater than that of the vassal king, and it is almost close to the princes enfeoffed by the emperor of Zhou.
A young man of one year smiled and said, "Father, you are studying these codes again."
Governor Liu nodded and said, "Chun'er, the more you look at these codes, the more frightened you become. Couldn't the emperor cut down on the clan?"
The young man said confidently: "Don't worry, father, Europe attaches great importance to jurisprudence. I learned about the history of the Holy Roman Empire when I was studying in the UK, and this system has lasted for hundreds of years.
Even in the unification war that broke out a few years ago, the Bavarian king stood on the opposite side of the emperor and only transferred the title of Lombardy.
If the emperor wanted to cut his vassals, he didn't need to do that at all. Austria's strength is much stronger than these states combined, but His Majesty Franz still strictly abides by the law.
We don't need to worry about it. This is still the case in the mainland. How could the emperor violate the code he made for a piece of overseas dominion? "
Everyone is profit-seeking. If there is not enough profit, the senior management of Lanfang Company will not join the New Holy Roman Empire.
In addition to being able to obtain security protection, the most important thing is that everyone's interests are guaranteed. In addition to sharing military expenses and paying royal annuities, their substantial interests have not been damaged.
When it comes to the outside world, it can display the flag of Shinra to prevent other colonial empires from peeping.
At least the Dutch, who were pressing on them, stopped now. The representative of Vienna also made a promise that the privileges of various countries in Lanfang will be handled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Empire.
Governor Liu said: "It's better, otherwise we will pay the protection fee in vain."
Consciousness is not so easy to change. In the eyes of the older generation, this is to spend money to buy peace, and use Austria's strength to protect their own safety.
Anyway, all affairs are handled by themselves, and they also have their own army, and all autonomy is retained.
It's just right to throw out diplomatic affairs, so they don't bother to deal with foreigners, and they are the ones who suffer in almost every contact.
The juniors have received Western-style education and know how to use the rules to protect their own interests. They are the most supportive of joining the New Holy Roman Empire.
Originally, everyone wanted to join the Manchu Qing Dynasty, and even the attached documents were acceptable, but unfortunately the Qing government was too troublesome to accept it.
In this era, the Chinese living in the Nanyang region have a sense of crisis, for fear that they will be wiped out if they are not careful.
Without strength, wealth is the source of disaster.
As the first to open their eyes to see the world, they knew very well that Lanfang Company was at stake. Without a strong backstage, they simply cannot survive with their own strength.
Therefore, after signing an agreement with the Vienna government, there will be big celebrations outside.
Not that everyone really likes joining the Shinra Empire. In essence, it is still for the sake of ripping off tiger skins. The bigger the momentum, the greater the benefits.
This time, the Lanfang government has sent invitation letters to representatives of various countries in Southeast Asia, just to tell everyone that the Lanfang Republic is now the Lanfang Autonomous Province of the New Shinra Empire. If you want to take advantage of this, go to the Vienna government and talk.
Governor Liu did not attend the banquet, but also had a political purpose. In this way, I told the representatives of various countries that, as a high-ranking official of the Shinra Empire, I had the right to say to them: No.