Chapter 45 Compulsory Education

Everyone in the hall was "buzzing" and discussing with each other. Obviously, this sudden news touched them deeply.

Constantine's words were like a stone thrown into the calm water, causing ripples.

The Greek General Company mentioned by Constantine reminded people of the East India Company.

As long as we talk about colonial history, the East India Company is a topic that cannot be avoided. It has left a strong mark in the world's colonial history.

In order to facilitate the acquisition of wealth, Britain, France, the Netherlands and Portugal have successively established East India Companies.

The most famous of them is the British East India Company.

This company may be the most powerful company in history.

It has completed a task that is almost impossible for a company to complete. With the long-term efforts of the British East India Company, the whole of India has become its commercial base, almost dominating the whole of India.

Through the East India Company, countless British people have become rich.

Now Constantine is going to establish the Greek General Company, and everyone is excited.

Although they also know that this Greek General Company cannot have the power and ability to make wealth like the East India Company.

"Three days later, those who are interested in buying shares in the Greek head office can go to the Tatoi Palace to discuss specific matters," Constantine said.

"Your Excellency the Duke, can anyone buy shares?" a businessman asked hurriedly.

After Greece's independence, a large number of Greeks still lived outside the territory of the Kingdom of Greece. For these overseas expatriates, both the Greek people and the government authorities tended to think that they were Greeks emotionally.

This also led to a large number of overseas citizens in Greece.

Moreover, among these overseas Greeks, there are many wealthy businessmen and political elites serving in the Ottoman Turkish government.

These people have accumulated a lot of wealth through years of business or politics. If there are no restrictions, the future Greek head office will allow a group of overseas people to occupy a large number of shares, adding a lot of risks to the operation.

"It must be Greeks, and those who live in the Kingdom of Greece have priority," Constantine emphasized.

After Constantine's explosive news, everyone obviously had no interest in paying attention to irrelevant matters, so the meeting ended in a hurry.

Everyone was eager to prepare for the discussion three days later.

Only Trikupis and Constantine were left.

"Prime Minister Trikupis, when do you think Greece can establish a mature civil service system?" Constantine asked.

Constantine was really fed up with the Greek government that was paralyzed every once in a while.

"You should know very well, Your Highness, at least it is impossible at present"

"Before that, Greece must find a way out, either militarily or economically," Trikupis replied helplessly.

"Before that, I don't think it is an opportunity to establish a mature civil service system"

"Your Excellency the Duke, the Greek government's finances have always been tight. Although it is presumptuous to say this, I hope you can seriously consider letting the Greek government share some benefits in the affairs of the Congolese colonies and ease Greece's debts," Trikupis said softly.

Greeks' debts seem to be a very famous thing.

Constantine still remembers that there was a period of time in later generations when news of the Greek debt crisis was widely reported.

People generally have the impression that Greeks are poor and lazy, and at the same time they maintain unrealistically high welfare, so the debt will snowball and grow.

To clarify, Greeks are not lazy, and may be the most diligent in European countries.

Because his average weekly working hours are the longest among European countries.

The history of Greek debt began around 1830, when Greece gained independence from the Ottoman Empire. At that time, the Greek people's war of independence won the sympathy of many European countries.

Europeans did not want this country with a long history, the birthplace of European civilization, to fall into the hands of the then weakened Ottoman Empire.

In order to wage war against the Ottoman Empire, a large amount of foreign debt was borrowed, which was the source of Greece's debt.

Although Greece succeeded in independence, this barren land could not find enough wealth to repay the huge foreign debt.

The Greek government has since fallen into a vicious cycle of borrowing new debts to repay old debts, which has continued until the 21st century.

To date, Greece owes about 400 million drachmas (one pound is approximately equal to 25 drachmas) in foreign debt, about 16 million pounds.

Greece now has only about one million people, which is equivalent to 400 drachmas per person.

This is a heavy debt.

"I can't help you with the debt problem. Your government can only find a way to solve it," Constantine said expressionlessly.

"Your Highness, you are the crown prince of the kingdom after all. Although the government has no ability to help the Congo colony, you cannot deny that the Congo Commission you funded would not be able to obtain the management rights of Congo without your title of Crown Prince of Greece," Trikoupis said anxiously.

Indeed, if it were not for his status as the Crown Prince of Greece, no matter how many mandate treaties his Congo Commission had, the countries at the Berlin Conference would not have recognized that the ownership of Congo belonged to the Congo Commission.

Constantine thought about Trikoupis' words and remained silent.

The Greek government is facing more than just a debt problem. Giving it a sum of money to repay its debts is just a solution to the urgent problem.

The Greek government employs a huge army of civil servants who can gnaw away like locusts no matter how much profit there is.

Without economic development, finance will be like water without a source.

If the underlying problem is not solved, it is of little significance to just treat the headache and the foot.

But you can’t completely turn a blind eye.

"I will come with a sum of money from the Congolese Commission's revenue."

As soon as these words came out, Trikupis's eyes lit up.

“Use it for education in Greece and invest in the future of Greece”

"This money will be used to establish an educational foundation, mainly for compulsory education for the Greek people," Constantine said.

Greece has a small population, and children of school age only account for a small part of the population. If the population is squeezed, the Congolese Committee can still come up with the money.

Trikoupis was angry about it, and his words were interesting. His feelings did not support the finances of the Greek government.

"Investing in education? If so, it would be a great thing for the Greek people."

"There is no way. We have no resources. We can still import from the colonies, but most of the people are ignorant and illiterate. What should we do?" Constantine sighed and said helplessly.

"This resource-poor country can only rely on developing its mental resources to make up for the weakness of its body," Constantine said firmly.

"If you are serious, Your Highness, compared with compulsory education, the debt problem of the Greek government is not that important."

Trikupis said excitedly.

"I have always wanted to promote the development of education in Greece, but as you know, the Greek government's account cannot afford the money at all. After paying off the foreign debt every year, it can barely cope with the daily operations of the government."

Compulsory education, no matter how much people praise it, can never be excessive.