Chapter 151: Purifying the Official Corps
Chapter 149 – Purifying the official ranks
The battle of routes exists in any country with ideals. It is an unsolvable dilemma, there is no such thing as right or wrong, it only depends on whether it is appropriate or not.
The claims of the Balkanists and the South Germanists at the present moment are both sufficiently well-founded.
From the point of view of development, the Balkans, with its more fertile land and richer resources, could speed up Austria’s economic development; while the South German region had the population Austria needed most.
Both sides were important, though Franz was inclined to prioritize the South German region in view of the problem of national integration.
Once South Germany was annexed, the Austrian Empire was stable. The government could speed up the pace of national integration by allowing various ethnic groups to intermingle through immigration.
In Franz’s opinion, the best way to speed up the national integration is marriage, the birth of a couple is equivalent to the identity of two families, and can also influence the position of a bunch of relatives and friends.
The number of marriages is large, the next generation are all mixed ethnicity, these people on the product of ethnic integration, naturally, the highest degree of identification.
Metternich slowly said, “First to the west or first to the south, this issue must be cautious.
The international situation is ever-changing, and even if we make a decision now, we may still encounter force majeure and be forced to give up at that time.
The Russians may take action against the Ottoman Empire, but that is only a possibility, what will happen in the end is unknown.
After so many Russo-Turkish wars, the Ottoman Empire is still standing, who can guarantee that the Russians can swallow them in one bite? I’m afraid we all don’t think the Russians can do it, right?
That being the case, it was up to Britain and France to react. If they go to war with the Russians for the sake of the Ottomans, then whether they choose to go west or south, we have the possibility of maneuvering.
If Britain and France don’t enter the war, I’m afraid that our attempt to annex the South German region will be a dream, and even trying to gain too much in the Balkans will be met with their interference.”
History is full of coincidences with the Crimean War; Napoleon III had just been restored and needed a foreign military victory to consolidate his position; the British wanted to strike the Russians and secure their interests in the Mediterranean.
At exactly this time, the Russians were plotting to take control of the Black Sea Straits, to the detriment of both British and French economic interests. Once the London and Paris governments conferred, they decided to fuck him.
Then the suicidal Crimean War broke out, and it has to be said that it was a more than lousy fight. Both the British and French side, and Russia, had more people killed by logistical pits than on the battlefield.
No matter how much historians try to cover it up, it doesn’t change the fact that when a soldier goes into battle, his biggest enemy is not the enemy, but disease and logistics.
A suicidal war, at the end of the fight is naturally a lose-lose situation, the Crimean battlefield Mao Bear lost, but in the Caucasus battlefield they got back, beat the Ottomans crying.
The final result of the war is no reparations, no cession of land, the biggest loss is the victor of the Ottoman Empire, exposing its own weak nature, and became the next powers to divide the fat sheep.
Britain and France won a strategic victory, shutting the Russians out of the Black Sea, breaking up the “Alliance of the Three Courts of the North”, and ending Russia’s hegemony in Europe.
Franz recognized Engels’ assessment that this was a “great comedy of errors”.
Will history change as a result of his butterfly effect? And where will it lead?
What if the Russians had chosen to change the battlefield? For example, by directing their main attack on the Caucasus, or by sending their troops ahead to sneak into the Bosphorus, or even by pushing across all the way from the Balkans.
So many what ifs, all of which are possible, and with the Russo-Austrian alliance in place Austria was not going to fall back, the Russians had more room for strategic choice.
This is a close call, if the Russians move ahead, Louis Napoleon Bonaparte has not yet completed the restoration of the great cause, the French government continues to be busy with internal strife, it is estimated that the light John Bull himself is unlikely to be able to go to war.
Without the British and French Ottoman swarming Russia, Austria has no chance to go west except to follow the expansion in the Balkans.
“Mr. Metternich is right, the question of strategic decisions is still too early. What we need to do at this time is not to prepare for expansion, but to sort out the internal problems of the government.
The first problem is the government’s inability to execute. From the central government to the local governments there is a lack of execution, which is the biggest tumor in the current government.
What is the use of keeping officials if they cannot actually carry out the orders of the government?
The Austrian government is not a place for them to retire, and officials who are not capable enough, who are not at ease with their work, and who are attempting to muddle through, should be sent home to plant potatoes before it’s too late!”
Route of the dispute, a short period of time can not produce results, Franz decisively chose to change the subject. The internal affairs issue, he has long wanted to deal with, but there has been no opportunity.
In 1848, the government was too busy fighting the war to care about these issues, just a rough comb over, take out a few bureaucrats who are not sober in the head to establish authority.
In 1849, the government was too busy. Franz had just recently succeeded to the throne and had to ensure stability in the country. Compulsory education was launched again, the civil service examination system was creatively adopted, and Austria’s pillar industries were identified.
Now that the government is finally idle, Franz naturally will not let the cabinet have nothing to do. There is nothing else to do, so it is good to purify the official ranks.
Anti-corruption is a good weapon, only Franz the emperor can not shout, now the Austrian government in the corrupt officials everywhere, easy to everyone.
In fact, since Franz succeeded to the throne, Austria’s bureaucratic group has cleaned up a lot, in the face of a strong emperor, a lot of people are consciously convergence of their behavior.
As the upper echelons of the government became cleaner, the middle and lower echelons were definitely affected. Those who were able to enter the political arena were not a few fools and knew when to do something.
During the time of Ferdinand I, the emperor was unable to handle political affairs, and the power fell into the hands of the ruling council.
A group of powerful ministers struggle with each other, it is too late to compete to pull in the underlings, how could they possibly make a big fuss over such a small matter as corruption?
Can not be killed with a stick, then catch the ability to execute it, right? Franz is not ready to kill, just drive the incompetent officials back home.
If you are unlucky enough to be caught embezzling, then there is nothing you can do, Austria is a country of law, what to do is what to do.
Incompetence is worse than corruption. Both corruption and incompetence, that’s the worst of both worlds.
It doesn’t take much, just kick one percent of the incompetents home and pick a few unlucky ones to make an example of, and Austria’s bureaucratic problems will be contained.
The middle-of-the-road idea of killing all the corrupt officials was not going to happen to Franz. If it is in the emerging countries is almost the same, Austria this kind of old empire, interest groups have long been collusion.
As the emperor, every time to crack down on a handful of people who have not eaten and acted recklessly, that is no problem, as long as the excuse is appropriate, everyone will be very positive to cooperate.
If you want to wipe out the interest groups, be forced, change the emperor thing they are not out of the question.
Bureaucratic modesty cannot be expected, as long as they do not violate the bottom line, Franz’s tolerance is still very high.
Clean officials should be used, corrupt officials should also be used, and even dim officials can be left a few, as long as they are placed in the right position, they will be able to play an unexpected role.
“Yes, Your Majesty!” Prime Minister Felix replied
He was already prepared to push for the merit appraisal system, which was a performance appraisal system specially designed by the Austrian government in order to avoid the officials underneath from being passive.
The standard wasn’t very high, as long as one was able to complete the work within their scope of responsibility and follow the government’s rules and regulations, they were considered qualified.
If on this basis, also made achievements, then congratulations you are ready to be promoted.
On the other hand, if you do not follow the rules and regulations of the government, and you do not have any outstanding achievements, you are an incompetent person who needs to be cleansed.
Economic development is a political achievement, the promotion of national integration is a political achievement, the popularization of compulsory education is a political achievement, and the practical implementation of the government’s orders is also a political achievement.
There is a wide range of issues involved, and as long as achievements are made in a certain area, they are all political achievements.
What the Austrian Government wants to combat is the kind of officials who are disobedient and incompetent.
The central government asked you to promote the Austrian language, and you ran off to promote the local dialect, if you are not finished, who will be finished?
As the target of the government’s crackdown, a check of your wallet is naturally inevitable. If problems are found, they can be used as a typical example.
How many officials will lose their hats, and how many officials will be promoted, Franz is not very concerned, he only needs the final result.
(End of chapter)