I Became A Genius Of The French Royal Family [EN]: Chapter 230

As if the hopeful start of the 19th century was a cruel joke, spring in London had turned grim.

A young worker, buoyed by recent news, headed towards the meeting place with a spring in his step.

It was a place where like-minded colleagues gathered.

Even though each day was a struggle, his heart felt a sense of peace.

The people he associated with were more than just a labor union.

They were allies, brothers and sisters in arms, working together to build a better world.

At first, everyone had laughed at them, dismissing them as fools lost in a fantasy, but now, look at what they had accomplished.

They stood at the heart of a great movement, revolutionaries leading the workers of the world.

And the arrival of influential pioneers into their ranks filled him with excitement.

In truth, those who sympathized with the British communist movement held diverse views.

Some advocated for complete communization, others favored a more moderate socialist approach, while still others would have been satisfied with incremental improvements.

Strictly speaking, he leaned towards the latter.

How could British workers, many lacking proper education, truly grasp the nuances of communism and capitalism?

Their immediate concern was the relentless exploitation they faced, which had driven them to rise up.

That was why many who shared his sentiments held high hopes for this meeting.

Great thinkers who had achieved significant progress even faster than Britain.

France’s Saint-Simon and Fourier had secretly entered the country to lend their support to the British workers and rally others to the cause.

Though French, national borders held little significance among comrades united by a shared ideology.

The people gathered here were not simply British and French, but dedicated communist activists and their supporters.

“Greetings! I am Claude Henri de Rouvroy, Count of Saint-Simon. Please, dispense with the formalities; call me Comrade Saint-Simon.”

“Welcome!”

“Welcome, Comrade!”

Saint-Simon’s legendary exploits were widely known among the British workers.

A revolutionary who had successfully negotiated with France’s resolute Prime Minister Christian, significantly improving workers’ rights.

The workers were overjoyed that such an influential figure had come to assist them.

“Comrade Saint-Simon! What course of action should we take in the future?”

“You have already achieved a great deal. With this level of public support, you can leverage it to bring the government to the negotiating table.”

“Are you suggesting we negotiate with the government?”

“Indeed! France offers a compelling example. By demanding the same treatment as French workers, the government will find it difficult to justify a refusal.”

Negotiation, rather than revolution.

The emergence of this pragmatic alternative immediately divided opinions.

“Negotiating with the government is tantamount to surrendering to them! France understood the workers’ plight from the outset, but this country has not. We have endured relentless oppression, and now you propose a peaceful resolution!”

“But… if we can secure a significantly improved environment, wouldn’t that be a positive outcome? Hearing about the working conditions of the French people, I find little to complain about.”

“I agree. Overthrowing the government isn’t necessarily the only solution.”

“How can we achieve a revolution with such a timid approach!”

“It’s not timid, it’s realistic!”

The communists in Britain were not a monolithic group with a single, unified ideology.

From the beginning, Robert Owen, the leader of British communism, was fundamentally benevolent, which made him averse to violent conflict.

The primary reason they had remained united was the appalling working conditions in Britain.

If those conditions were addressed, divisions would inevitably emerge.

The reason this hadn’t happened sooner was the British government’s unwillingness to emulate France’s actions.

Or, more accurately, their inability to do so.

Saint-Simon, who had been observing the debate with a relaxed demeanor, spoke again.

“Now, now, let’s remain calm. I have no intention of causing division. My recommendation for negotiation stems from a broader assessment, considering not only Britain but also the international landscape.”

“…The international situation?”

“Let’s imagine that the communist revolution intensifies and ultimately succeeds. How will other countries respond?”

“Naturally, the workers of the world will unite and rise up!”

The ultimate goal of the faction advocating for a communist revolution was, after all, the communization of the entire world.

To that end, forming a Pan-European Communist League was the radicals’ ultimate ambition.

And Christian feared that this trend would spread to other countries, triggering a chain reaction.

“I understand your aspirations. But do you believe the government will passively await the revolution? Surely, the military will be deployed. And if the citizens resist, the situation will devolve into something akin to a civil war. Even if we prevail, there will be immense chaos. Would France simply stand by and watch Britain clean up the mess?”

“That is······.”

“The workers in France are already content with their improved working environment, and even the Prime Minister has expressed willingness to consider certain socialist theories. At least in France, there is no impetus for such an uprising.”

The figure the British feared most was none other than France’s Prime Minister Christian.

Mentioning his name lent credibility even to the most pessimistic predictions.

The same held true for those who were refuting Saint-Simon’s arguments.

For some reason, it seemed that Christian would indeed devise a cunning plan in that situation and crush their movement.

With no further objections forthcoming, Saint-Simon’s voice grew stronger.

“Even if we negotiate, it doesn’t mean we’re simply bowing down to the government. We will secure legally guaranteed holidays and protection from excessive working hours. This represents clear progress and societal advancement. And once our voice is heard in this way, it opens the door for future progress.”

“Now that you mention it, that’s right!”

“I will exert pressure on the British government from behind to ensure they legally guarantee our right to strike. Then we won’t have to suffer and bleed in silence as we do now. We can confidently assert our rights!”

“But wouldn’t that take us further away from achieving communist ideology? Ultimately, wouldn’t the capitalists’ position become even more entrenched?”

“Quite the opposite. The capitalists will gradually lose their ability to act as tyrannically as they do now. My intention isn’t simply to bring Britain to the same level as France and stop there. We will create a world where no worker sheds tears of blood by establishing the World Workers’ League, led by France and Britain!”

Ultimately, Saint-Simon’s argument, excluding violent means, focused entirely on promoting workers’ rights from beginning to end.

Moreover, his words were backed by tangible achievements in France.

In the end, more than half of the workers decided to support Saint-Simon’s approach, while a small number left, hurling insults.

“If Britain truly agrees to negotiate, I will support Comrade Saint-Simon’s opinion!”

“I will join you too!”

“I was expecting a hero of the French labor movement, but he turned out to be so weak!”

“Enough! We’ll act separately!”

“Let those who wish to leave, leave! If we achieve results, they will eventually acknowledge us anyway.”

Thus, shortly after Saint-Simon and Fourier’s arrival, the solid cooperative system of British communists began to fracture.

They had no way of knowing that all of this was part of someone’s carefully crafted plan from the beginning.

Saint-Simon and Fourier, who were manipulating public opinion, believed that ignorance was bliss and continued to sow division.

Since the outcome would be positive regardless, they felt no pangs of conscience.

After all, isn’t it best when everything turns out well?

※※※

“What did Robert Owen say?”

“He said he would cooperate if the Prime Minister truly kept his promise.”

“He’s been holding back until now, but he’s reacting as soon as public opinion is divided. As expected, divide and conquer is very effective.”

Saint-Simon and Fourier, who had arrived through Christian’s introduction, proved to be more resourceful than anticipated.

It was easy to manage things because they were not just radical leaders, but people with solid knowledge like Robert Owen, so they communicated well.

“I feel like I owe Christian a debt, but it’s a bit uncomfortable······.”

“It’s not like you owe him a debt. He simply helped us for his own benefit.”

“That’s true. We had no choice.”

Christian’s tactic of using one issue to mask another was proving highly effective.

First, Saint-Simon and Fourier infiltrated the ranks of the staunch communists to divide public opinion.

Then, the British government responded to the negotiations, causing some workers to defect, which amplified the effect.

Furthermore, Fourier even diverted attention with the women’s movement, diminishing the power of British communism.

Pitt, with his expertise in divide and conquer, cleverly sided with the women in this instance.

He, styling himself a feminist prime minister, declared his intention to make Britain the best country for women to live in.

With more than half of the workers and half of the population (women) on their side, public sentiment now aligned with their agenda.

They no longer had to fear the complete overthrow of the government.

However, this didn’t necessarily mean that all problems had been resolved.

Strictly speaking, this method was merely a temporary fix, addressing the immediate problem while creating potential future instability.

“Prime Minister. As you know, the promises we made to them this time will place a considerable burden on the economy.”

“I’m aware of that, but what choice did I have? I can only pass the buck to my successor.”

“The future Prime Minister might travel back in time and shake you by the collar.”

“…I should start preparing in advance from now on.”

As things stood, Britain was destined to enact labor laws comparable to those in France.

Moreover, with the promotion of women’s rights, they would begin demanding decent jobs, necessitating the implementation of policies to meet their needs.

However, if Britain adopted the same labor standards as France, it couldn’t maintain a competitive edge.

In fact, the economy might suffer due to these stringent labor laws.

If that happened, the government would be subjected to widespread criticism and face electoral annihilation.

“After all… is there no alternative to the solution Christian suggested?”

“For now, it’s the most reasonable and realistic approach. It will ultimately benefit France as well.”

“…Hoo…”

Pitt sighed deeply and turned his gaze to the large world map hanging in front of his desk.

The only way to avoid depressing the economy while implementing policies that reduce corporate profits.

Was to develop a new market and unilaterally sell products there.

And Pitt already knew of the existence of the largest market in the world.

“Convey my orders to Nelson and Wellesley.”

There was no time for hesitation.