Chapter 153: Five-Year Plan

It is now April 1, 1851, and there are still ten years before the outbreak of the American Civil War.

Liang Yao has ten years, that is, two "five-year plans" to prepare for this civil war.

His goal is also very clear. The first five-year plan will lay the foundation, and after the second five-year plan is completed, California will achieve preliminary industrialization.

Liang Yao does not ask for California's industrial strength to compete with the North after the completion of the two five-year plans. This is unrealistic. After all, California's size is here.

If California wants to compete with the North in industrial strength, it must at least integrate the resources of the entire western United States and some southern states, and the population must at least reach the size of the Southern Alliance (the free population of the South is 5.45 million).

And these cannot be achieved overnight. To put it bluntly, with California's current population of more than 100,000, even if all the people are soldiers, it is not enough to fill the front line.

Liang Yao's goal is that after completing two five-year plans, California will have a relatively decent industrial system in the state, which can support California's self-protection and have the strength and capital to travel between the North and the South.

"No matter how much gold there is, it will eventually run out. If California wants to remain prosperous and stable after the gold is mined out, it must build its own industry, produce industrial products, and sell them to the outside world in exchange for a steady stream of gold. Only then can California develop for a long time."

Liang Yaoben didn't need to say these nonsense, but the quality of California's state legislators is not high, and there are many state legislators who don't know ABC.

If it weren't for the state law prohibiting the carrying of guns into the parliament, these guys would have revolvers on their waists and cursed their mothers when they entered the parliament for meetings.

Some words must be told to them directly so that they can understand.

Unlike the American Congress, the cultural literacy of congressmen is relatively high, and they are basically well-educated elites. They will understand with a little guidance.

In contrast, the state legislators of the new state of California are a small elite and middle class in a grass-roots team.

Who would risk going to California to pan for gold if they lived a decent life in the East?

The American immigrants who come to California are basically the lower-class people who have lost hope in the East and come to California to play poker with the dream of getting rich.

If they win, they return home in glory; if they lose, they commit suicide by slashing their throats in the Wujiang River.

However, the low quality of the legislators also has its advantages, that is, it is easier to fool them. As long as their interests are taken care of and they are satisfied, the bills will be easily passed.

These rough guys will not talk to you about ideals, the separation of powers in the United States, or unconstitutionality. They only care about whether there is more or less gold in their wallets.

Liang Yao's words are easy to understand. To put it bluntly, it is to use industrial products to take gold from other places. Many state legislators are gold diggers and low-level nouveau riche. Only simple and easy-to-understand plain words can these state legislators understand.

"The industrial products in the east can't be sold. California has no industrial foundation. Can the industrial products produced compete with the industrial products of the British and French?"

Robinson is skeptical about this. He has received a good education and has lived in the east for a long time. He is very clear about the current status of American industry. The industrial products produced by the old companies in the east cannot compete with Britain and France. What can California use to compete?

"There is no need to compete with Britain and France. As long as we can beat our domestic counterparts, the domestic market in the United States is enough to meet California's needs. After California gets on track, I will organize an inspection team to the east for inspection and find overseas markets for California that the British and French have not yet touched." Liang Yao said.

There are also advantages to being small in size, that is, you don't need a too large market, as long as California's industrial products can compete with other local counterparts and seize their domestic market.

Compared with the old states in the east, California, as a new state, also has its latecomer advantage, that is, California is a blank sheet of paper without any burden.

California is far from the president, surrounded by territories, and not bordering any state. There is no need to consider the conflicts between free states and slave states, nor to rush to stand between the North and the South.

Of course, if there is another overseas dumping ground for goods, a colony or semi-colony that can suck blood, it would be even better.

Japan meets California's requirements. Britain and France have not yet got involved, and it is not too far away from California. If something goes wrong, it will not affect California.

Moreover, the top leaders of the United States are also seeking to open up Japan, and Liang Yao is also happy to add fuel to the fire in this matter.

California has a geographical advantage in Japan's opening up. As long as California has local industries, it can become the biggest beneficiary of Japan's opening up.

Not everyone in the state legislature is as worried as Robinson.

On the contrary, many state legislators have already developed a blind obedience mentality to Liang Yao.

Whether it is Liang Yao's history of gold mining in California or Liang Yao's actual control of California.

Liang Yao did not make a single mistake. His reputation in California is at its peak. Even in the eastern region, Liang Yao now enjoys the reputation of an American hero.

Undoubtedly, Liang Yao is an extremely successful figure in California in both business and politics. No one can compare with him.

State legislators believe that as long as they follow Liang Yao, they can get soup even if they can't eat meat.

Since Liang Yao said so, at least he is confident that he can compete with his peers in his country.

The Pioneer and the new railway track are the best examples, although the Pioneer has not yet been put into actual operation.

But those who have experienced the Pioneer train and its carriages on the experimental track know that the Pioneer train has a crushing advantage over the trains manufactured by large eastern railway companies.

As long as the Pioneer train enters mass production, its sales in the eastern railway companies will not be bad.

"We want to listen carefully to your opinions, such as which specific industries to get involved in?"

Sutter was also somewhat tempted, from buying and selling gold production areas to selling grain, and then to cooperating in sawmills and building materials factories.

Sutter almost followed Liang Yao's steps step by step to today. Not only did he keep his Sutter's Fort in Sacramento, he also made a fortune and became the mayor of Sacramento.

He is also a member of these state legislators who admires Liang Yao, although Liang Yao is about the same age as his son.

"Yes, yes, Speaker, just tell us what factory to open."

"We haven't been to college, and we don't have your insight. We believe that California will have a bright future only under your leadership!"

"We all listen to you, your words are worth a thousand gold!"

After Sartre spoke, the state legislators in the parliament echoed.

"Steel, coal, railways, machinery."

Liang Yao did not keep them in suspense and read out the general content of the draft of the five-year plan to the legislators in the state legislature.

Steel production, energy production, railway mileage, and mechanization level are the main indicators of early industrialization.

Liang Yao's first five-year plan for California revolved around these four indicators.

In addition, there is another indicator, which is the chemical industry, that is, oil.

The first oil well in America will have to wait another eight years, and there is no such thing as a chemical industry now.

If there were no other time travelers in this world, only Liang Yao would know this industry, and how much profit this industry could bring in the future, and how much impact it would have on the entire human society.

Liang Yao was so anxious to buy the land in Los Angeles, which was worthless in the eyes of others, immigrate to Los Angeles, and quickly turn Los Angeles into a town dominated by Chinese immigrants, just for the future layout of California's chemical industry.

Although there is no gold under the land of Los Angeles, there is abundant and easy-to-mine oil buried. This is the blood of the Second Industrial Revolution.

"But these heavy industries require huge investment in the early stage, and it takes a long time to make a profit. As far as I know, many steel companies and railway companies in the east have gone bankrupt before they can make a profit."

Fell said with some concerns. He had considered getting involved in the steel industry, but the astonishing investment and elimination rate in the steel industry made him discouraged.

"You have strong funds and many technical talents under your command, which can support the day when California Steel Company makes a profit, but we don't have such conditions."

The congressmen also nodded in agreement. Fair's concerns were also their concerns. The steel industry has a high threshold and a high elimination rate, which is not something that small rich people like them can afford.

Therefore, when Liang Yao started to engage in steel and railways, they were still hesitant and did not plunge into the steel and railway industries.

Of course, there is also a lack of machinery and workers.

Liang Yao's steel, railway, coal mine, machinery industry and related manufacturing industries, such as steam engine manufacturing plants and shipyards, all use machinery and workers that Liang Yao has been planning since last year and directly introduced from the eastern region. They are not industries incubated in California.

After losing the first opportunity, it is very risky for them to copy Liang Yao's model.

Liang Yao's companies are the only heavy industries in California, and their reputation has been established. If they continue to do these industries, they will face direct competition with Liang Yao.

In California, no one wants to be a direct competitor with Liang Yao because they know their own strengths and weaknesses.

Since Liang Yao mentioned this matter in the parliament today, these state legislators simply put their concerns on the table.

Liang Yao was willing to take them into steel, coal, railways, and machinery because he had to do so. Industrialization is a system and several industrial chains. It is difficult for one person or even a group to be comprehensive.

Even if it could be done, it would take a long time. He risked the disapproval of the United States and centralized power in California for the sake of speed and efficiency of industrialization.

Only a relatively strong government can efficiently integrate resources and achieve industrialization in a short period of time with thunderous means.

If California had to honestly follow the principle of separation of powers, after the outbreak of the civil war, let alone a complete industrial system, I am afraid that California would have only a few industries that could be produced except gold.

There was not much time left for him, and he could not develop slowly like the old eastern states.

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