Chapter 505 Interests Move People's Hearts

Since the Anglo-Boer War, Benjamin's cabinet has been caught in a political maelstrom. Not to mention considering re-election, it takes hard work to serve this term.

The Colonial Ministry took responsibility for this. Colonial Minister Louis and Cape Town Governor Delphi resigned at the same time. The opposition still refused to give up and pursued this problem.

If it weren't for the "Three Kingdoms Alliance" to attract public attention and divert the focus of public opinion, Downing Street might have changed its owners now.

This is far from enough. If you want to cover up this stain, the cabinet must also make greater achievements in politics and diplomacy.

The relationship with Russia is also a part of it. The capitalists need to open up the Russian market and make more profits.

In this context, Alexandrovich's visit to London was naturally welcomed by the London government.

...

"His Royal Highness, your country wants to borrow money, we agree in principle. As long as you can persuade the bankers, it doesn't matter how much you borrow."

Foreign Secretary Maclean said this was his real idea. As long as the Russians can convince the bankers, the London government will not interfere no matter how much it borrows.

Alexandrovich frowned. If he could convince the banker, he wouldn't have to deal with the British Foreign Office.

"Your Excellency Minister, now we are in difficulty and need the help of your government."

When he said this, Alexandrovich was strongly stimulated in his heart. For a loan, he actually asked him, the crown prince, to beg for help.

There is no way, people have to bow their heads under the eaves. Alexandrovich was certain that the bureaucrats of the Foreign Office would never be able to talk about the outcome if he hadn't acted in person.

This is not because they are incompetent, but mainly because the British want to make a political show and improve the government's reputation among the people.

Compared with officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, talking with him, the crown prince, can add more topicality.

Alexandrovich also needs this qualification to increase his prestige in the country, and both sides can get what they want.

Foreign Secretary Maclean smiled and said calmly: "We are also happy to help our friends, but we are in a little trouble now.

The tariff barriers set up by your government have seriously affected the normal operation of bilateral relations. If your country can join the free trade system, then none of this is a problem.

This is a win-win option. Once you join the free trade system, your country's agricultural exports will not be subject to any restrictions. It is very helpful for your country to solve financial problems. "

The free trade system was proposed by the British in order to open up the markets of European countries. While expanding the British commodity market, it was also accompanied by a sterling-gold settlement system, or the implementation of currency hegemony.

At present, the Russians are still implementing the gold and silver double standard system. Once they join this system, they must carry out the reform of the gold standard currency system.

The reform of the currency system of the tsarist government has already begun, but it has always been carried out with the help of Austria. As relations between the two countries have cooled, Russian currency reform has stalled.

This allows the British to see an opportunity and want to take the opportunity to replace it. The Aegis-gold system, which the Russians stepped into from half a foot, was pulled into the sterling-gold system, thereby widening the distance with competitors.

There are three popular systems in the international currency market: the pound-gold system, the Aegis-gold system, the franc-gold, and the silver system.

There is no doubt that the British have two major gold producing areas, Canada and Australia, and with so much accumulation of colonial plunder, the pound-gold system naturally has the upper hand.

Followed by the Aegis-gold system, Austria's domestic gold production is not low, and the addition of gold from the African continent also occupies an important position in the international currency market.

However, there is still a long way to go before the British. In order to make up for this gap, the Vienna government has always attracted the Russians to join.

It's just that Alexander II was unwilling to be a younger brother, and this issue has never been discussed. After the financial crisis of the tsarist government broke out, the two sides started negotiations again.

In contrast, the French gold and silver complex system is more tragic. Gold production in France was too low to meet demand, and a double standard system had to be adopted.

Although most countries in this era were based on a mixed standard, the value of gold and silver coins changed frequently, which brought great difficulties to settlement.

To maintain the stability of the currency value of the franc, the French also go to great lengths. However, this still cannot stop the fact that silver depreciates.

The gold standard has insufficient production capacity, and the silver standard has excess production capacity. Silver production in this era has begun to skyrocket, and the growth rate far exceeds the growth rate of social wealth.

Alexandrovich was silent. Joining the free trade system dominated by the British was too involved to decide.

Don't look at Maclean's claim that loans are not a problem, it sounds like a great deal, but it's actually a big problem.

If nothing else, once the tariff protection is lost, can Russia's fragile industry and commerce survive?

Why are no industrial powers joining the British free trade system? Not to worry, the domestic industry and commerce have been impacted. In this era, British manufacturing is the guarantee of quality.

The economic impact will also be affected politically. Joining the free trade system dominated by the British must also consider the reaction of Austria.

Do not look at the relationship between the two countries

Turning colder, it is only political, and private business contacts are still very closely linked.

The second Russo-Prussian War has already appeared, and both sides are preparing for the war. At this time, the importance of Austria has become irreplaceable.

Even if it joined the British free trade system, the London government could not support the Russian Empire in the Russian-Prussian War. Prussia and Poland are their loyal little brothers.

Of course, as long as the tsarist government is willing to give up hatred and not take revenge on the two countries, the British can also mediate the contradictions between the two sides.

This idea flashed in Alexandrovich's mind. It's true that he's a pacifist, but he's definitely not a Virgin, so brainless that he can't even put himself in the right place.

After thinking for a while, Alexandrovich asked, "Your Excellency Minister, I am also aware of the benefits of free trade.

Your country's industrial strength is number one in the world. Once there are no tariff barriers, the nascent national industry in our country will probably be defeated in a short time.

At present, the industrial population of the Russian Empire has exceeded 6 million. Once there is a problem, it will trigger a wave of unemployment, and it will seriously endanger national security. How to solve these problems? "

Marquis Maclean explained calmly: "His Royal Highness, you are really worrying too much. There may be many industries that will be affected, but your country also has many advantageous industries.

Take agriculture, for example. Your country's agriculture has the most potential in Europe. Once it joins the free trade system, it will sooner or later surpass Austria.

No one knows the scale of the agro-processing industry in Austria better than you.

If your country relies on the advantages of local grain production to develop supporting processing industries, it will not be afraid of competition from anyone.

Just by exporting agricultural products, your country can generate hundreds of millions of pounds in export volume. Isn't the profit here enough to make up for the deficiencies in other industries?

Not only agriculture, your country is rich in resources, which is also an innate advantage. As long as they are integrated, there is no fear of competition at all. "

Aleksandrovich did not show it on the face, but deep down he was already very disgusted. Except for provoking Russia-Austria relations, everything else is fake.

The international grain market has been saturated, and now the Russian Empire has joined in, and at most it will get a share of the pie. If you want to reach the level that Maclean said, let's beat Austria first!

My family knows their own affairs, and there is a serious gap between Russia and Austria in agricultural production technology, which cannot be made up overnight.

Poor natural conditions are also an important factor restricting the export of Russian agricultural products. If nothing else, the high shipping costs alone will increase the cost.

In addition to these issues, agro-processing technology is also an issue. First of all, these machinery and equipment must be imported, and the quality of locally produced machinery and equipment is not up to standard.

Secondly, the lack of skilled workers leads to a high rate of defective products produced. This is a common problem in Russian industry and commerce. Even with the same machinery and equipment, the defective rate produced by them is higher than that of European countries.

So many problems, all added together, have greatly increased the cost, which makes them how to compete with their competitors in the export of agricultural products?

The Russian Empire is rich in resources, and a sentence should be added after it - backward transportation. No matter how rich the resources are, what else is there to say?

It is possible to join the free trade system, but this will require the British to provide benefits. Alexandrovich needs tangible benefits, not an ethereal pancake.

"Your Excellency Minister, what you said is only the direction of future development. In the short term, the Russian Empire will not gain any benefits from joining the free trade system.

But the price we have to pay is very heavy. Not only will domestic industry and commerce be affected, but it will even lead to the rupture of the Russian-Austrian alliance. It's not a peer-to-peer deal, and you shouldn't be so hypocritical about your friends. "

Alexandrovich deliberately increased his tone and expressed his dissatisfaction to Maclean.

...

In the first round of confrontation, the two sides failed to test each other, and the negotiation came to an end temporarily.

However, Alexandrovich is really tempted. No matter whether the British are painting cakes or not, it is indeed very tempting to be able to achieve dominance in the agricultural export market.

Just thinking about the competition made him feel hopeless. In this era, the Russian Empire only exported grain, but not other agricultural products. There were not so many reasons, but the traffic problem.

Things like fruits and vegetables, which were shipped from the Russian Empire to European countries for sale, were almost rotten halfway.

Wheat, potatoes, beans, and corn are the flagship products of the Russian Empire. The acreage of cash crops is too small, and the export share is very small.

For example: cotton. Due to various factors such as production technology, geographical conditions, and transportation, Russian cotton has lost its competitiveness.

These problems cannot be solved overnight. It is too difficult to make up for the innate deficiencies.

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