I Became A Hidden Powerhouse Of The British Empire [EN]: Chapter 345

< Communism (3) >

The International Workingmen’s Association.

It was only natural that the establishment of the so-called International would catch the attention of European powers.

Especially in France, where it felt like a gateway to chaos had opened in their own backyard, the situation was, to put it mildly, alarming.

Whether to respond or ignore it.

Countless meetings were held to discuss these two options, but no definitive conclusion was reached.

Moreover, even those who advocated for a response were not unified in their opinions.

“We should just smash their heads in!”

“That’s right! What kind of socialism is this? We should just throw all those commies waving red flags into prison.”

“That would cause a riot. Instead of using such crude methods, we need to be more intelligent. How about pretending to listen to their demands while subtly encouraging infighting among them?”

With all the famous socialists from around the world gathering and causing a ruckus, the situation in Paris was chaotic.

Some people were grinding their teeth, wanting to crack down on all the commies, while others argued that such a move would backfire. Each side had its own valid points.

However, the voices of the cautious faction, who argued against overreacting, were also significant.

“If the government directly tries to deal with them, it will only elevate their status. They’re just delusional people spouting nonsense, and if we acknowledge them, we’ll be falling into their trap.”

“So, responding would mean legitimizing them?”

“Exactly. Moreover, they’ll portray themselves as martyrs being oppressed by the government. A clumsy response would only help their cause.”

The argument was that if they remained unresponsive, those delusional theorists would eventually lose steam and fade away on their own.

It made sense, but it also felt like an overly optimistic prediction.

François Guizot, who had somehow managed to hold the position of Prime Minister for 20 years, had a feeling that this would be his last term.

He was clinging to his position precariously, but he was convinced that it would be difficult to be re-elected.

His previously high approval ratings had declined due to the difficulties experienced during the recent war.

Still, he managed to maintain power by touting the achievement of re-establishing colonies in the Americas, but the mental strain was so severe that he was eager to step down.

In fact, frankly speaking, considering the chaotic political environment of France, being Prime Minister for 20 years was a miracle.

Prime Minister Guizot secretly believed that his record of 20 years would be an unprecedented achievement that would not be broken for 100 years.

That’s how volatile the French citizens were, and running the country as the head of the executive branch was an enormous burden.

No wonder Prime Minister Guizot envied Wellesley, who was smoothly serving as Prime Minister in England.

“Let’s wipe out all the commies!”

“I’m telling you, that’s suicide!”

Leaving the noisy conference room, where no conclusion was reached, Prime Minister Guizot trudged back to his office.

“Damn it. Why do those commies have to cause such a ruckus in Paris of all places?”

Why couldn’t they cause trouble in London or Berlin? What did they find to gain by crawling into Paris and making such a fuss?

Could they be harboring some ridiculous fantasy of recreating the revolution that happened before?

If so, should we define the commies as criminals trying to subvert society and thoroughly suppress them?

But if we did that, as someone pointed out, what if the situation worsened and backfired?

Prime Minister Guizot, deep in thought, was waiting for a response to the letter he had urgently sent a few days ago.

Strictly speaking, Engels, the so-called first leader of the International, was from Prussia and active in England, wasn’t he?

So, it was only natural for England, which produced such a disruptive figure, to help in this situation.

“The reply should have arrived by now, but why the silence? Are they perhaps thinking of feigning ignorance?”

They used to provide help immediately when asked, but it seems people do change.

Looking back, if Killian had helped a little more diligently, wouldn’t France’s losses in the last war have been less severe?

Indeed, people always change, even Killian…

“Prime Minister! A reply has arrived from London.”

“Oh, oh! Bring it here quickly.”

Guizot’s face lit up as he immediately opened and read the letter.

-I have a plan to alleviate the burden on the Prime Minister, who must be troubled by the rise of communists. However, due to the sensitive nature of the matter, it is difficult to explain everything in a letter. If you would be so kind as to come in person, I will ensure that the Prime Minister’s burden is completely lifted.

Another business trip to London… The public might criticize it again, but Guizot did not hesitate.

Because Killian had never disappointed him when he said he had a definite good idea.

‘Hehe, I’m sorry for misunderstanding, Your Highness.’

People are bound to change?

Who on earth dared to utter such rude words?

Guizot carefully folded Killian’s reply and stored it away before immediately scheduling a trip to London.

The resentment towards Killian that had been building up recently had already melted away like snow.

* * *

In fantasy novels or movies, one element that appears as often as meals is brainwashing magic.

There is no easier setting to turn an ally into an enemy, so it is a method favored by countless writers around the world.

Moreover, even if they do something bad, they were brainwashed, so there is no need to whitewash them [excuse their actions].

You just need to give off the nuance that they were unfortunate victims forced to do things against their will.

Even people who show strong resistance to whitewashing villains don’t often apply those standards to brainwashed characters, so how convenient is this method?

And surprisingly, there is an amazing magic in reality that produces a similar effect.

It’s the communist brainwash beam, and if you fire it a few times, it’s easy to make the eyes of workers and intellectuals go wild.

However, this method has the limitation that it is more effective for people who regard reality as a cesspool, so it cannot be used on just anyone.

And unfortunately, there are many unhappy people in Paris right now. Very many.

For France, which has already seen the necks of numerous aristocrats fly during the revolution [referring to the French Revolution], this is a matter that could trigger PTSD [Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder].

Perhaps they were quite intimidated, as Prime Minister Guizot, who hurriedly visited London, looked several years older than before.

Above all, the thinning hair was heartbreaking to see.

“Prime Minister, how have you been?”

“I am glad to see that Your Highness is in good health.”

“Thank you. I hope the Prime Minister will find peace of mind soon, and I hope I can be of assistance.”

“I think I would feel much more at ease if those lunatics rampaging in Paris would just disappear.”

Originally, the opening ceremony of the International should have been held in London, but how did Paris become a den of commies?

In fact, considering that it is the country of the revolution, there is no other city as symbolic as Paris.

It’s a bit much to say this in front of Guizot, but wouldn’t Paris be a better fit than London?

“Have you decided how to respond to their demands?”

“Ignore or crack down on them. Neither is easy.”

“I see. But isn’t there an option to accept their demands? It might be worth considering applying them, even if it’s not all of them, but in a more moderate way.”

“Even if it were the British Empire, we are not ready for that yet. An 8-hour work week? Guaranteeing one mandatory day off a week? If we did that, I would be attacked for trying to ruin the country and immediately dragged down from the Prime Minister’s office.”

Indeed. Promoting the welfare of workers is something that only a commie would dare to claim.

It’s no wonder that even I approached improving workers’ rights not as something that should be done as a matter of course, but from a purely efficiency-oriented perspective.

Introducing Sunday rest was not that difficult, to be honest.

This was only to allow people to go to church.

In this devout Christian country, where the head of the Church of England is the Queen, it would be absurd not to guarantee citizens time to go to church.

When faced with this logic, the bishops naturally welcomed it with open arms, and the capitalists dared not object.

No matter how good money is, no one can make statements that turn the church into an enemy.

Guaranteeing a clean environment and safety devices was also pushed through with clear research and investigation.

In fact, there was a noticeable difference in the work efficiency of workers in places with at least a minimum level of safety and hygiene to prevent the spread of disease, and those without.

When this was revealed in very clear figures, capitalists with some sense showed a positive response to environmental improvement work at a level that could achieve the maximum effect with the minimum cost.

But anything more than that was impossible in reality.

“Prime Minister, I am a little hesitant to say this, but you should not underestimate the communists too much. Especially France, doesn’t it have the painful memory of 1789? Even an earthworm squirms when stepped on, let alone a person. I understand the idea of ignoring them, but if you do, you will see the workers of Paris going on strike as often as they eat within three years.”

“Then, should we be prepared to crack down on them… No, if they unite more fiercely as you said, it will only make things difficult for us.”

“That’s right. You understand well.”

“Then isn’t there no answer?”

Guizot did not even touch the coffee prepared for him and stared intently at my face with an anxious expression.

It was a silent plea to please give him some way out.

“The problem is that you only had two options from the beginning. Let’s open up one more option.”

“So, the public opinion of the bourgeois [middle class] is against accepting their demands…”

“No. That’s not what I’m talking about. The third option I’m talking about is not to have France deal with them, but to pass them on to someone else.”

“…Excuse me?”

Isn’t the best solution to have someone else handle the troublesome work?

It’s obvious that it’s going to be a bomb, so why bother holding it alone while suffering?

Just throw it far away.

“Do you know that there is something that communists vehemently hate, and that is capitalists, aristocrats, and slavery.”

“Capitalists and aristocrats aside… Slavery? But there are no countries in Europe that practice slavery now… Ah, could it be?”

He moved his eyes anxiously, then changed his expression and returned to a serious demeanor.

“That’s right. Don’t we have one? There is a country across the Atlantic that still exploits slaves and commits pre-modern atrocities.”

“I see. If we can turn the International’s attention to that place…”

Communists and apologists for slavery.

It’s like pitting the worst of the worst against each other and telling them to kill each other from now on.

“Indeed, it is Killian Your Highness! Why didn’t our cabinet have anyone who could suggest such a solution!”

That’s obvious.

Guizot, who jumped up from his seat in excitement, was about to shout a victory cry, but he realized the reason a beat late and his expression darkened slightly.

“But… it’s easier said than done. How do we induce them to go to the South?”

That’s right. The reason France didn’t come up with this method is that there was no way to drop the International in the South.

But even if it’s impossible for Guizot, it’s possible for me.

I didn’t know that what I had left behind, changing my policy to use it as a suicide card when finishing the Civil War, would be so useful.

Not only can the South be used as a giant social experiment, but it can also put France, and even the North, heavily in debt, so this is a brilliant idea that goes beyond killing two birds with one stone.

After sending Guizot back, who grabbed my hand and thanked me several times, I handed a telegram form to the attendant.

The addressee was the Northern United States.

The National Black Alliance, NBA.”