Chapter 544: The Lord of the Rings is a Deceitful Man

  Chapter 532: Er Yu We Deceive

If it wasn’t for the political rivalry, it would still be very simple to solve the agricultural crisis, a few food exporting countries in tandem, uniformly raise the price of food, and divide their respective shares of food exports, and all the problems would be solved.

Later generations of OPEC is so play, in order to avoid vicious competition, we all intentionally control oil production, to ensure the interests of all member countries.

Unfortunately, the two countries of Prussia and Poland and the Russian Empire have formed a deadly enmity, and there is no way that the Tsarist government will agree to a reconciliation.

This was a matter of principle, and even when Alexander III, a pacifist, came to power, it was impossible to compromise on this issue.

The Russian public could tolerate defeat, but not conceding defeat. The Russian Empire had grown and prospered on the basis of this unyielding tenacity. If the heart is deflated, the Russian Empire will be finished.

To get to this point, it is impossible not to experience many consecutive failures. This led to the tsarist government could not concede to the two countries, if they dared to compromise, the domestic revolution must break out.

The Tsarist government did not collapse after the failure of the First Russo-Prussian War. In addition to the support of Austria, there was also the political legacy left by Nicholas I. An army loyal to the Tsar guaranteed the stability of the regime.

Alexander II was not idle, after the defeat of the war decisively, took the opportunity to clean up a group of government worms, combating the arrogance of the conservatives, laying the foundation for reform.

After the Agricultural Crisis broke out, the biggest loss on the surface is Austria, in fact, the biggest loser is still the Russian Empire.

Austria is the first food exporter is not false, but the export is mostly finished food, there is industrial value added to offset some of the losses.

There were also some snack food producers, who not only did not lose money in this agricultural crisis, but increased their profits.

No matter how much the price of raw materials fell, the price of snacks on the market did not change much. Seemingly insignificant small commodities, in fact, bring profits are not low at all.

If someone investigates the details of Austria’s agricultural exports, they will find that the total sales of canned goods, cookies, French fries, chocolate and other foodstuffs exported from Austria have already exceeded the total sales of foodstuffs.

There are currently thousands of food brands registered in Austria, and if these snack categories are broken down, there are hundreds of products.

For the sake of profit, capitalists invest heavily in research, and new types of food appear almost every day. Only food products that have stood the test of the market survive, or they quickly disappear from sight.

From time to time, capitalists also organize food festivals, specifically looking for people to try new snacks to collect data; if they are well received, they will be promoted and marketed; if they are rejected by the public, they will naturally be taken off the shelves immediately.

In addition to independent research and development, capitalists also send people to collect food from all over the world, in front of the interests of people have no resistance, exotic flavors are still produced.

As long as the snacks sold well in the market, Austria produced them. These inconspicuous little things, in fact, is the real pillar of Austria’s agricultural exports.

In contrast, the export of finished food products has been relegated to a secondary position, mainly relying on the volume of profits, profit margins are far from being able to compare with these foodstuffs.

Perhaps in later times, these insignificant small commodities, a family workshop can produce, but in this era, or high-tech products.

Not to mention, just food packaging bags, there are not many countries can produce. Anti-corrosion technology is also a difficult problem, this year to take mercury as a preservative with the capitalists are many.

This kind of large-scale food exports, certainly can not play so. In case of an accident, that is tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands of people with food poisoning, such a big thing who can not afford.

This needs to test the chemical technology, in general it is still relatively chaotic, in addition to the most commonly used salt, there are a whole lot of messy preservatives, can only say that the harm is a little less than mercury.

The only thing that can be guaranteed is that there will be no immediate food poisoning, otherwise it will not be able to pass the Austrian customs security check. Relating to the entire agricultural export industry, the Vienna government is still relatively strict.

Long-term consumption, what the consequences of that is unknown. Anyway, these packaged food, Franz is never touch, the entire Vienna court will not appear these junk food.

This is all a small problem, originally everyone’s life expectancy is short, perhaps not waiting for the aftermath of the outbreak, early to see God, at present no one has come out to accuse the harmfulness of these junk food.

No matter how harmful it is, at least it still tastes good. These junk foods that can be stored for a long time are the crew’s favorite, and become the necessary supplies for sailing, accompanied by the Great Age of Sailing far around the world.

With these industries to back him up, Franz was able to sit tight after the export market for finished food products shrank.

However, some people are anxious, Austria finished grain export market shrinkage, domestic processing enterprises naturally also have cut production, the first to bear the brunt of the Polish and Russian empires.

The Polish government wants to make things happen, but also was forced out. The Vienna government put a tariff increase, and the Polish farm products were directly blocked out.

Agricultural products were massively stagnant, not only the farmers could not stand it, the nobles and capitalists could not hold out as well. It is not surprising that the government, in order to get through the crisis, deliberately provoked Austro-Polish conflicts to attract attention.

Of course, “provocation” is not in the plan of the Polish government, they are only prepared to shout slogans in the country, not prepared to harden.

After clarifying the positions of various countries, the Polish government did not accept the Austrian conditions in their entirety, but at the first opportunity to explain, and apologize.

As the black hand behind the scenes, the Prussians naturally could not see the Polish government so easily pass. The news quickly leaked out, and public opinion in Poland exploded.

The unlucky man who was “suicided” was transformed into a national hero, and patriotic young people ran to the Austrian Embassy in Warsaw with their banners raised in protest.

The Polish government is still aware of the seriousness of the situation, and then irritate the Austrians, it is possible that they will come over. Prime Minister Dombrowski first sent the police to block the street, marching on the Wood and the police had a fierce clash.

Originally the Polish government just to divert the crisis, did not expect things beyond control, but instead triggered a political crisis.

Except for the ignorant and fearless middle-aged teenagers, all political figures know that this time to stimulate Austria is looking for death.

It’s no secret that the great powers like to use war to divert internal crises. Austria broke out an agricultural crisis, Poland at this time to find stimulation, that is not to send the door to be beaten?

Poland is also a large agricultural country, the European food export market, the Poles still occupy 13% of the market share.

If the Vienna government wants to reduce a competitor, take the opportunity to use the subject to beat them up, that is not difficult at all. As long as they don’t expand, none of the European countries will interfere.

The Polish government was forced to forcefully suppress the anti-Austrian wave in the country, and naturally the Vienna government reluctantly accepted their apology, and the Austro-Polish conflict seemed to come to an end.

Of course, this is only the opinion of ordinary people. Looking at the frequent activities of the Austrian Foreign Ministry, it was clear that something was about to happen. The atmosphere in Europe was instantly tense, and the smell of gunpowder became thick.

Berlin, the Vienna government did not immediately take action against Poland, and the Prussian government high command was very disappointed.

As one of the victims of the agricultural crisis, the Prussian government naturally wanted to get through the crisis early. To provoke the Austro-Polish conflict was a plan to do so.

Not only could it alleviate the agricultural crisis, but it also had the opportunity to annex the Kingdom of Poland. The international situation was obvious, Britain and France did not want to see Austria continue to expand on the European continent, and Austria likewise did not want to see Prussia and Russia grow.

In the opinion of the Prussian government, the Vienna government should be above them in its fear of the Russians, otherwise Austria would not have paddled in the last Russo-Prussian War.

If Austria fully supported the tsarist government, other problems dare not say, at least the tsarist government’s army will not lack of strategic supplies.

It was only a matter of changing the route of advance and sending troops along the Austrian border. Put the supplies in Austrian territory and transport them when needed, the Russians can even save the troops stationed there.

According to that kind of fight, no matter how good the Prussian army is at fighting, it will fall under the sea of gray animals.

William I waved his hand with a complex expression: ”Franz that old fox is really able to endure, we have given them the excuse to send to the door, he did not even make a move against the Poles.

It looks like Austria’s strategic center of gravity really isn’t on the European continent anymore, could it be that their strategy of localizing Africa isn’t a smokescreen?”

No one could answer this question, but the vast majority of countries believed that Austria’s African indigenization strategy was a smokescreen, mainly to distract everyone’s attention and create an opportunity to unify the German region.

There was no need for justification, the Europeans of this era were that arrogant. In addition to the European continent, the land outside of the continent, that are uncivilized barbaric land, the African continent is known as “the continent of poisonous insects”.

Austria’s African expansion road, in fact, is also a history of the struggle between man and nature. Facing the biggest enemy, not the local indigenous countries, nor other powers, but the harsh natural environment.

Almost no one thinks that the African continent has the need for localized management, everyone paranoid that the land on the European continent is more important, especially in Western and Central Europe, is the best in the world.

Prussian Foreign Minister Jeffrey Friedman: “Your Majesty, the Austrians have given political signals that they want us or the Russians to make the first move. It is almost certain that they are not going to make the first move.”

Guns to the head, since ancient times the first to venture out have been the most likely to be unlucky. Of course if it succeeds, the gains are often the greatest.

Austria’s family is large and its foundation has long been solid. Whether or not it was possible to expand on the European continent had become irrelevant to the Vienna government.

It was not something that Prussia could compare to, and William I did not want to continue to expand in continental Europe if possible. Europe was too complex, and the whole body was at stake.

The Kingdom of Prussia already had a foothold in the Central and Southern Peninsula, and had they not been threatened by the Russian Empire, they had joined the colonization movement.

The reality of the threat forced them to continue to enhance their strength, slowly planting and developing is obviously too late. The Kingdom of Prussia now had a population of just over 22 million, and the efficiency of farming was obviously no match for the 74 million Russians.

The fastest way to increase their strength is through foreign expansion. Originally, the German Federal Empire was what they wanted the most, but unfortunately, reality did not allow it.

If Prussia dared to lay hands on the German Confederation, the Vienna government was afraid that it would compromise with the French, and then they would be beaten by the Austro-French-Russian group.

They had no choice but to settle for the Poles. At least the British and French opposition on this issue is not too fierce, Austria also wants to see them and the Russians dead, not to directly hit the door.

Looking at the map of Europe on the wall, William I sighed, “Alas!”

After wandering for a few steps, William I pointed to St. Petersburg and was in a much better mood, “Keep waiting! Poland is still our ally, we can’t do anything now.

This agricultural crisis is not going to end anytime soon, according to the data released by the Austrian Ministry of Agriculture, all the countries’ plans to cut production capacity have failed, even they themselves have not been able to fulfill their production reduction plans.

There is no need for them to falsify these figures, and we are an example of the fact that the area planted with food in the country has increased this year instead of decreasing. It’s not that easy to put the Fallow Farming Law into effect.

The Austrians are big enough to withstand the losses caused by the agricultural crisis, but the Russians are not. Their grain production is the largest in Europe, so who are they going to sell such a large capacity to?

Britain and France both want stability on the continent, and whoever stirs up strife now is their enemy.”

……

(End of chapter)