I Became A Hidden Powerhouse Of The British Empire [EN]: Chapter 186

The Great Pioneer and Visionary (4)

While Killian was preparing for an in-depth discussion with the intellectuals,

Marx watched Engels, who couldn’t contain his excitement, with a bewildered expression.

“Engels, isn’t communism still just an abstract idea? We haven’t really fleshed it out yet. Did you find some inspiration in the speech?”

“Didn’t you? We’ve said it before, haven’t we? Communism is the ultimate stage of social development.”

“Isn’t that just something we said offhand while pontificating? It’s not a concrete theory yet.”

“No, no. I had a real epiphany when I heard that speech. It was like a lightning bolt.”

The idea that the world progresses through feudalism, then capitalism, and finally into an ideal communist society was a theory Marx had recently conceived.

But of course, there were no specific foundations or established theories yet; it was just a vague inference.

In fact, Marx now believed that this era should be termed capitalism, but his economic studies were not yet satisfactory.

He felt he needed at least ten more years of serious study to solidify his ideas and develop them into a proper academic framework.

As of now, he knew that if he spoke to established scholars, he would only be ridiculed for lacking theoretical backing.

Of course, that didn’t mean he doubted his insight in the slightest.

It’s just that the theoretical basis to concretize and support that insight was weak.

In that respect, he could understand what Engels was getting at.

“I know what you mean. You think he’s someone who can plant the seeds for communism to grow in this capitalist society?”

“Exactly! That’s what I mean. Maybe this country will be the first to achieve the ideal society we’ve been talking about.”

“That’s a stretch. Even if he’s sympathetic to workers, isn’t the system still based on the exploitation of labor? After all, isn’t he a royal at the top of this contradictory class structure?”

“The current situation doesn’t matter. Frankly, neither you nor I are working class, are we?”

Marx was silenced by that statement.

As Engels pointed out, both Marx and Engels came from bourgeois backgrounds, not from the working class.

Engels, in particular, came from a much wealthier family than Marx and had close ties to aristocratic families.

Marx’s lifestyle was also quite expensive, and he relied heavily on Engels’ financial support to make ends meet.

Of course, he didn’t spend all his money on luxuries; a significant portion went towards his studies and revolutionary activities.

“But still, the royal family is different from us. Especially the British royal family; I hear they’re richer than any other royal family these days.”

“Because they have so much money, they’re making various contributions to society. They’re building hospitals, training medical staff, and even improving workers’ rights a little.”

“Hmm… Okay, I admit it. He’s fundamentally different from the other royals we’ve seen. But that doesn’t guarantee he’s the key to our hypothesis, does it?”

“Of course, I can’t say for sure. But my intuition tells me so. It’s similar to the feeling I had when I first met you. I was convinced that you would bring about a great transformation in the world.”

So, in the end, it was just a gut feeling.

Of course, despite his outward skepticism, Marx was eager to speak with Killian Gore.

To be honest, he wanted to have an in-depth conversation.

Why was he so different from the royals in Prussia or France?

Was it because the British Empire’s industrial system differed from that of France or Prussia?

Or was it due to the difference in political structures?

If not, was it simply a matter of individual character?

Just listening to the speech had left him with too many unanswered questions.

But no matter how much he desired it, Killian was a royal, far above his station.

There was no way such a person would meet with a social reactionary from Germany who wasn’t even a recognized intellectual in his own country, would he?

Engels was in a similar position.

No matter how successful he was as a bourgeois from the Rhineland, in the eyes of the British Empire’s consort, he and Marx were insignificant.

They might not even get a chance to speak during the discussions.

He tried to temper his expectations, knowing that he would only be disappointed, unlike Engels, who was frantically scribbling down questions in a notebook.

Even if he was lucky enough to be called upon, the moment he announced his name, he’d likely be silenced for being a foreigner.

Still, Engels needed that kind of passion to continue their work in the future.

Marx decided not to discourage his friend’s audacious endeavor.

* * *

“…Your Highness, you said that expanding the right to vote alone won’t improve workers’ rights, but if workers gain suffrage, wouldn’t politicians sympathetic to their cause be elected? Wouldn’t that lead to improved workers’ rights?”

“That would only happen in a fantasy where all workers are united. How much do the interests of all workers, grouped together as a single entity, truly align?”

“Your Highness! Are you truly promising to expand the right to vote?”

“I said yes.”

“Your Highness! Then…”

The questions arising from the conversation, aimed at winning over the workers’ representatives, were predictable and commonplace.

The demands of the Chartists [a working-class movement for political reform in Britain] were already issues that had been resolved in modern times.

I knew the timeline of those achievements, the major events that triggered them, and the various social problems and side effects that arose when the economy couldn’t support them.

That’s why I was able to weave together half well-meaning rhetoric and half points that the Chartists hadn’t considered, and deliver a compelling narrative.

“…Well, then, let’s conclude our conversation, as it seems we’ve found some common ground. And since you all believe we’re just making empty promises, I’ll make one more small promise to demonstrate our sincerity. As soon as possible, probably within this month, a law to protect the lives of workers will be passed. Specifically, a bill requiring factories and companies employing a certain number of workers to provide facilities for the convenience of their employees.”

“I don’t think the factory owners will agree. Will Parliament pass it?”

“Of course, this matter has already been discussed with the Prime Minister. The British Empire will never unilaterally disregard your opinions. I promise that such a thing will not happen, at least not under my watch. While it’s difficult to directly intervene in domestic politics, I can at least convey your concerns.”

The reason I made this promise wasn’t impulsive.

Recently, with the working hours of young children and women regulated to 58 hours per week, there have been increasing demands to extend this regulation to adult workers.

The capitalists would vehemently oppose it, but this kind of bill would be passed in a few years anyway, even in the original timeline.

So, it was better to avoid directly addressing working hours for now and instead focus on improving sleeping facilities and meals, which were the most pressing concerns for the workers.

If a large-scale protest erupted here, we might have to guarantee the right to vote for workers.

So, if we simply glossed over the issue by improving facilities, the factory owners would have no choice but to comply.

If I took action now, and the Factory Act, which restricted working hours, was passed naturally in a few years, I would benefit doubly.

If I did this, the Chartist movement wouldn’t intensify as it did in the original timeline, and even if a wave of large-scale revolutions swept through Europe, there would be no fear of the home country being affected.

If the workers felt that their lives were improving even without taking action, they would never unite and rise up nationwide.

This was a fact proven by history, because that’s simply human nature.

“Well, then, everyone. I truly enjoyed today’s meeting. If there’s another opportunity like this in the future, let’s talk more then.”

“We are truly grateful as well. I didn’t know that Your Highness cared so much about us…”

“How could the royal family of this country not care about the opinions of its citizens? It is the joy of myself and Her Majesty the Queen that you live a better life.”

Of course, there would be people who remained unsatisfied, but since there were also people who agreed with me, the momentum of the extremists had been diminished.

In these situations, unity was paramount. If there were people who believed in my words, they would defect if pushed too hard.

There was nothing more meaningful to say now, so could I just wrap it up and leave?

The moment I placed my hand on the armrest of the chair to stand up, a young man who had been observing me since earlier raised his hand and called out.

“Your Highness! I apologize for asking, but may I ask you one more question?”

“Hey! His Highness has to leave now…”

“No. How long does it take to listen to one more question? Young man, go ahead. What do you want to know?”

“I’m curious whether Your Highness believes that this system, in which capitalists employ workers and create social value, will continue to develop in the future.”

“…?”

What was that? It had a distinctly red [communist] tinge to it.

But since the Communist Manifesto hadn’t even been published yet, it must just be my imagination.

Even before the Communist Manifesto, the word communism had been used several times in France, so there might be young intellectuals who thought along those lines.

That didn’t mean they were all extremists who wanted to start a communist revolution and overthrow society, so I shouldn’t judge them prematurely.

Once bitten, twice shy [referring to a proverb about being overly cautious after a bad experience]. I regained my composure and looked at the young man holding a notebook filled with writing.

He seemed to have written down my entire speech and the conversation we just had. Looking at his bright eyes, it was clear that he was very impressed by my words.

There was no way such a devoted student could be an advance scout of an evil cult trying to establish a communist society and turn the country upside down.

“Before I answer, I don’t know your name. Judging from your accent, you don’t seem to be from England. Where are you from?”

“Well… my friend and I are not British citizens. But I was so interested in this speech that I really wanted to hear it, and then this opportunity arose…”

“Ah, it’s alright. In fact, if you’re from another country, you’re even more welcome. Thanks to you, the values of the British Empire can spread to the world.”

“Thank you for saying that! My friend and I are from Prussia and came to London recently via France. Your Highness is different from any of the royals I’ve seen in Prussia or Paris, so I really wanted to ask you this question. Ah, my name is Friedrich Engels.”

“Um, okay. Friedrich Engels from Prussia…?”

The end of my sentence, which I reflexively repeated after hearing his name, rose unnaturally.

No, no. I thought I could sense a strong communist aura from the way he was talking, but I wasn’t mistaken, was I?

Then, could the person next to him be…

“What’s the name of the friend who came with you…?”

“It’s Karl Marx!”

Damn it.

He wasn’t an advance scout, but the founding leader himself had come in person.