Chapter 848: Justice Because of Necessity

  Chapter 831 Justice Because of Need

The sudden reversal of the operation stunned many people. Including Franz, who started it, wondered if his senses were out of whack.

Fortunately, after years of being an emperor, Franz had developed a strong heart and quickly eased up.

“Frederick, after reading these case files, what do you understand?”

In line with the principle of waste utilization, Franz did not let go of this classic case, the first time to use it to exercise his son.

Anyway, as long as he himself does not say, no one will know that this is a coincidence, the outside world will only think that the emperor’s tactics are brilliant.

Frederick, who had not yet reacted from the shock, was confused by Franz’s question.

“Understand what?”

The emperor’s superior tactics?

Nope!

That was the answer in the minds of the courtiers, for ass-kissing. Frederick didn’t think his father’s question was meant to hear him kissing ass.

The Austrian government has a serious problem with mandarins?

Not true either!

Corruption has been a problem for all dynasties, and Austria’s current rule is considered good, both horizontally compared to European countries and vertically compared to historical dynasties.

Although the bureaucrats are raking in money just the same, they know to watch what they eat.

The means of corruption has evolved to power and money transactions, and there is no embezzlement of public government funds, no private tax increases, which is a kind of progress.

To the rulers, as long as the people below them were able to complete their accounted tasks on time, were not ambitious enough to want to revolt, and did not cause the people to become angry and seethe with public discontent, then it was acceptable.

To put an end to corruption, that is just a beautiful dream, which can only be realized while one is sleeping. Otherwise, we will wait until mankind evolves to a higher level and stops pursuing material things.

……

The question was so broad that for a while Frederick’s mind came up with answer after answer, and then dismissed it by himself, not knowing for a moment how to answer it.

Meeting Franz’s encouraging gaze, Frederick replied uncertainly, “People are self-interested, they just choose a path that is most favorable to them.”

Franz nodded with satisfaction, “That’s right, all men are self-interested. That applies to most people, the rest are saints.

In the way of a ruler, we can only run the country in the same way we rule ordinary people, we can’t gamble on that small chance of a saint.

Vitus and others are just representatives of the masses, they are equally greedy, only while being greedy, they keep a clear head.

Frederick, if I had left this matter in your hands, what would you be prepared to do with it now?”

After a little thought, Frederick firmly replied, “Push the envelope and use the opportunity to carry out a major purge of the bureaucratic clique, eliminating these assholes in one fell swoop.”

Franz pursued, “And then what?”

Frederick was silent, he knew very well that it was easy to carry out a major cleansing of the bureaucracy, but after the cleansing corruption would still grow, it was impossible to solve the problem once and for all.

You have to know that Austria’s anti-corruption efforts are already very strong, in order to combat corruption, the law allows officials to receive money and not do anything.

Simply put, it is not a crime for an official to receive money and not do anything. As long as the money is reported to the competent authorities within three days, it can be turned into legitimate income.

After the report has been made, the official can get rich with peace of mind, and the person who took the money to pay the bribe will be finished.

The opposite is also true: the bribe giver can also report the official, and if he does, he is exempted from liability.

As a result of this, except for a bunch of bribe takers who got screwed when it was first implemented, everyone’s trust is gone behind the scenes.

Even, the folk have circulated the “not life and death friendship, do not accept money” paragraph.

In a sense, this decree is also the driving force behind the rise of secret power and money transactions.

Under the existing productivity, it is too difficult to regulate this kind of hidden power and money transactions.

Some of them are so deeply hidden that even if they are discovered, no evidence can be found.

Most of the transfers of benefits have gone through many turnovers, and there is no direct exchange of benefits between the parties involved.

If it wasn’t for people like Vitus, who lifted the lid from inside the chain of interests, it would have been difficult for the government to find out even if it wanted to.

Even now, knowing that as many as 10,000 officials are involved, there are still many people who can slip through the net.

As long as the previous do enough hidden, did not directly show up, including the transfer of benefits is also carried out by intermediaries, this time to shed the relevant industries do not want, can not find evidence of their transfer of benefits.

Cash era, even bank transfer records are not. The simplest method of money laundering, direct collection of gold bars without marking, dig a pit to bury, after some years to dig out that is the patrimony.

If not this exposure out, Frederick do not know, there is this kind of divine operation. However, this is still relatively primitive.

Higher level, for example: the official’s white glove investment in the stock market, after ten days and a half months will double.

Another example: just take some things from home, are valuable antiques.

Well, let’s not talk about the antiques, the old aristocrats really don’t have a shortage of them.

This stuff is not considered fake, people’s ancestors are awesome, as long as the age is enough, you can say that it is the old ancestors personally used, and immediately doubled in value.

Even if the old ancestor is not awesome, awesome relatives always have it, that whoever who sent. Anyway, make up a story to raise the value of the story, there is no one to believe it does not matter, as long as there are people to pay on the line.

Purchasers can not be the need to ask for help capitalists themselves, usually I help you pay today, tomorrow you help him pay, the day after tomorrow he helped me pay.

Anyway, there is absolutely no intersection of interests between buyers and sellers. Even these capitalists who work with each other don’t know each other on the surface, nor do they have any trade dealings.

This is not all, even those who step forward to sell goods are not officials themselves, not even close family members, but usually registered legitimate companies.

If something goes wrong, just abandon these industries. These days there is no Internet, many businesses are listed in the name of the dead.

The dead will not open their mouths, even if the government wants to pursue responsibility, but also can not go to God to ask for people, the big thing is to be confiscated by the government as ownerless industry.

In fact, there is nothing to confiscate. Most of these companies have no value, except for a few employees who don’t know anything, and the company’s profitability is all based on profit transfers.

……

Looking at his son, who was deep in thought, Franz chose to wait patiently, knowing that this question was too difficult. Even he himself was emperor for many years before he figured it out.

But being in the royal family, these questions must be figured out. Only by looking at the problem thoroughly can one choose from it to implement the program that is most favorable to oneself.

That’s right, not problem solving. Being responsible for solving problems was the job of the ministers, the emperor only had to guide it, the charge had to be left to his men.

After a while, Frederick slowly said, “Father, do you mean that you must act according to the rules even if you know that there are problems with them?”

Franz shook his head, “This is not a problem with the rules, in fact, perfect rules don’t exist in this world, the real test is the ability to adapt.

While abiding by the rules, it is also necessary to utilize the rules to serve us, rather than becoming a slave under the rules.

Always remember that we are the rule makers and likewise the rule maintainers.

Unless it’s really necessary, it’s best not to try to change the rules of the game so easily, because before you can change the rules, you first have to bear the backlash of the rules.”

There was no way around it, Franz was trying to raise the king of keeping the rules. Thinking too actively and being ambitious were not qualities that a King of Conservation should possess.

Relatively speaking, a bit of conservatism was the best choice. Anyway, Austria’s volume was so large and the accumulated family funds were so strong that the margin for error was already very high.

As long as the monarch behind does not fool around, the status of a great power is stable. When the country is stable, the royal family will naturally be stable.

After contemplating for a while, Frederick slowly said: ”Father, I understand. There is no black and white in politics, it only depends on whether it is needed or not.

Vitus and the others are not good things, but they are doing things that are favorable to the empire right now, so we need to use them.

And the offending officials and capitalists that are being found out right now, no matter how large the number or how powerful they are, they are all criminals.

Since they are criminals, they must be sanctioned by the law, and any obstruction of justice is the target of our crackdown.

Vitus and the others are the knives in our hands, removing the carrion from the empire for us, as for their character it doesn’t matter!

If this knife stays sharp, then we will step in and bail them out, making them pillars of the nation to be admired.

On the contrary, if this sword curls its edge, or even rusts, then let them bear the backlash themselves.”

There was no problem, those who found evidence of a crime were severely punished, and those who couldn’t, were treated as if nothing had happened.

It’s not ideal, not being able to wipe out all the assholes in the country, but it’s the rules of the game.

Maintain the dignity of the law, is the first place, as for cleaning up the fish behind the net have to be the opportunity.

Franz was satisfied with Frederick’s handling of the situation, coldness is the basic quality of a monarch.

Don’t look at Franz seems to be very good to talk to, so many years did not do what the rabbit dead dog cooked things, but this is all based on the subordinates under the situation of peace and quiet.

In reality, behind the glamor and glitz, there were more followers who had fallen halfway because they had not stood up properly.

It was only for the sake of past merits that Franz chose to be lenient and look merciful.

And this leniency, that is also within the scope of the rules to carry out. For example: should be deprived of the title, into the children and grandchildren straight inheritance, I exile relatively good conditions of overseas colonies.

How to take care of, that was also kicked out of the circle of power, just did not deprive the family foundation, leaving the hope of rising again.

Killing people, doesn’t exist. Europe does not have the tradition of killing nobles, unless they have done a great deal of anger and resentment, or rarely execute nobles.

This kind of treatment, Vitus and others can not enjoy.

They have their merits, but it is a pity that their collusion with the Jewish capitalists in front of them has violated the taboo, and it is considered that Franz has been generous in not seeking their misfortune.

From the beginning, Franz was ready to let them and the Jewish capitalists die together. I did not think that these guys are ruthless, hard from the desperate situation to kill a bloody road.

Stepping on the bones of their colleagues, they forged a good reputation for themselves. It turns out a good reputation can really save your life.

Now all the Austrian people think they are clean officials, and any more evidence the Jewish capitalists come up with can be chalked up to – planted evidence.

As the price for getting out of the way, Wittes and the others will have to live in constant fear of reprisals for the rest of their lives. If they want to continue to work in the government, they will have to rely on their reputation as “clean officials”.

Thinking of this, Franz helplessly sighed. He secretly thought: “I wonder if this is considered black and white?”

“Probably, probably, shouldn’t be considered, using one group of assholes to take out another group of assholes is barely called fighting fire with fire.

No, I should say it’s rescuing out-of-touch officials and putting them back on the right track ……”

No amount of self-congratulation will change the fact that this is bullshit. People who clearly don’t want to be used, because of political necessity, have to be reused.

Seemingly thinking of something bad, Franz continued to instruct, “Frederick, remember. The bottom line of these people in Vitus is too low to allow them to be in a high position.

If you come across one that must be reused, then you must also use them with caution, their limit is the head of the Anti-Corruption Bureau, or the undersecretaries of the ministries.

Before reusing them, one must also be prepared with checks and balances. As soon as a bad seed is detected, they will be suppressed immediately.

The candidates for cabinet and ministry chiefs must be selected from people with a certain bottom line. The ability can be not too strong, as long as it is above average, it is enough.

Especially the prime minister candidates, pick the older ones as much as possible. The younger ones are pressed into service, no matter how capable he is.”

(End of chapter)