Chapter 43: Forced Reforms

  Chapter 43: Forced Reforms

Chancellor Felix was also a representative of the Austrian hawks, and shared Franz’s views.

Sooner or later, the Hungarian problem will have to be solved, and relying on compromises will not solve the problem. It is better to let the Hungarians revolt and solve the problem directly by force.

Historically, Austria did the same thing, only the Vienna government did not do it thoroughly, and finally showed mercy to the nobles.

Although this won the support of the aristocracy, it also lost the opportunity to solve the Hungarian problem completely, so Franz naturally had to learn a lesson.

During this period, the Hungarian nation had not yet taken shape, and now the Hungarian nation consisted only of the half million people with vested interests, while the remaining thirteen million or so were without a nation.

It had to last until the establishment of the binary empire, the Hungarian nation was truly molded, this period of time the Hungarian aristocracy, the capitalists, do not even think that the lower classes are part of them.

The underclass, not to mention a group of illiterate people who struggled every day to survive, who still had the energy to care about what the nation was?

Even when Hungary rebelled in 1848 and raised the banner of nationalism, they themselves did not understand what nationalism was, and most of the so-called Hungarian nation did not speak Hungarian at all, let alone Hungarian culture.

Nationalism was actually exported to them by the French, with the main purpose of stirring up Austria so that France could realize its strategy of monopolizing Italy.

This can be seen in many places, the Vienna government is directly responsible for not completing the national integration in southern Europe, if not for their inaction, there would not have been so much shit in later times.

“Your Highness, the situation in Austria is unstable right now, if the Hungarians turn against us at this time, our military pressure is too great!” Foreign Minister Metternich objected

Franz smiled slightly, he knew that Metternich had always liked to solve problems with political means, which was both good and bad.

Using political means, Metternich created Austria’s thirty years of splendor, retained its position as a power in the European continent, and likewise accumulated a lot of contradictions that could be solved at once.

For example, in 1846, the Galician revolution, the Vienna government can solve the problem at once, but the government chose to compromise with the nobles, the conflict will be left behind.

“I know, but once we miss this opportunity, the Hungarians are afraid that they will keep spending time with us, and now the Vienna government has become their scapegoat, bearing the anger from the lower classes for them.

Austria is getting old, and we have too many internal conflicts that will drag this empire down sooner or later if they aren’t resolved once and for all.

The current military pressure is not without a solution. The Foreign Ministry is communicating with the Russians as soon as possible, we need the support of the Tsarist government.

If the situation continues to deteriorate, I’d rather compromise with the French and with the Prussians than with the rebels at home!”

Franz showed his dissatisfaction with Metternich’s previous administration and told the crowd of his determination to suppress the rebellion.

This answer was similar to Prime Minister Felix’s political advocacy, and historically the situation at home was even more critical because of the loss of Vienna, when the government in Vienna decided to abandon Northern Italy.

Only Marshal Radkis refused to carry out the orders of the Vienna government and did not withdraw his troops from the Italian regions and insisted on suppressing the revolution.

The situation, as it is now, has not come to that, and the price Austria has to pay is much smaller, the big deal is to recognize the Kingdom of Sardinia as a French sphere of influence.

At this time, France’s domestic situation is also chaotic enough to be strong, as the cradle of the revolution, the flag of the revolution is flying in a number of cities in France, there is no ability to wage war on the outside.

Not to mention the Kingdom of Prussia, whose domestic situation was not much better than Austria’s, and the Revolution of 1848, which was not missing them.

1848 would have been the end of the Austrian Empire if both rivals hadn’t gone down with it, a stab in the dark for Austria at this point in time.

……

“Your Highness, Austria’s current situation, we have to carry out an internal reform, and the issue of serfs is an issue that cannot be bypassed.” Finance Minister Karl opened his mouth and stabbed through the windowpaper

All present were nobles, as a member of the vested interest group, and this reform was cutting their meat, many people’s faces were not very good.

However, everyone is a person of understanding, knowing that it is no longer possible for Austria not to reform now, no one spoke out against it.

Franz knows that this reform program, can only be proposed by him personally, otherwise to these few to preside over the reform, then it is another incomplete reform.

“The abolition of serfdom is the trend of history, now the biggest problem is the abolition of serfdom after the serfs, the serfs life problem how to do?

The solution to this situation is clear to everyone, and that is to allow the serfs to acquire land and secure their basic necessities of life.

However, now that the land is owned by the owners, there is no extra land in Austria to be given to them, and the road before us has actually been traveled by the British and the French.

Either the noble lands will be ransomed or they will be forcibly dispossessed through revolution, and I don’t think anyone wants to be forcibly dispossessed of their land, so we really only have one choice.”

Undoubtedly, Franz still knew where his ass should sit over there, and put the question to rest and waited for the cabinet members to respond.

Other than that, the Schwarzenberg family, of which Prime Minister Felix was a member, had 470,000 hectares of land, and now not only was serfdom abolished, but they were going to be hit with the idea of their land, and no one would be happy about that.

“Your Highness, abolishing serfdom is easy, but to deprive the nobles of their land, this is ……”

Not waiting for Archduke Louis to finish his sentence, Franz interrupted, “I have no intention of forcibly depriving all the nobles of their land, the backlash of doing so is too great.

In view of the current situation, I think it can be done in two situations, all the nobles who participate in the rebellion, or give help to the rebels, all deprived of land to nationalization.

This land will be leased to the peasants and they will be allowed to redeem it, and the ownership of these lands can be purchased in installments.

The nobles who remain loyal to the Emperor, naturally, cannot be treated so roughly. I propose to redeem the land from everyone, but without compulsion.

In return, however, after the abolition of serfdom, the nobles who refused to redeem must provide work for the serfs, turning them into hired peasants or laborers to avoid social unrest.

In order to ensure the stability of the country, all land rents throughout the country must not exceed five layers of annual earnings, and likewise after the completion of the reforms, the nobles must pay taxes as well!”

(End of chapter)