I Became A Hidden Powerhouse Of The British Empire [EN]: Chapter 509

< Sunset Hours (4) >

There have always been cases, regardless of time or place, where ideals are lofty but reality fails to keep pace.

Russia, which succeeded in the world’s first anarchist revolution, was no exception.

The level of perfection as an ideal or ideology is actually a separate matter from the level of perfection as a philosophy to lead a nation.

Enlightenment, freedom, equality, and even the well-being of society.

Anarchism, as preached by Bakunin, was indeed a very attractive ideology when examined piece by piece.

Advocating anarchism doesn’t mean destroying everything and returning to a state of natural chaos.

The essence of anarchism was to maintain order even without a state or government, and to create such an ideal society.

Rather, a society based on the survival of the fittest was completely at odds with what anarchism sought, as the strong could trample on the rights of the weak.

However, Bakunin, who had participated in the management of a southern communist state, instinctively realized:

-Where there is authority, there is no freedom.

This sentence best expressed what anarchism sought, but when trying to manage a massive entity like Russia, there were far too many constraints from reality.

To overcome this situation, Bakunin eventually followed in the footsteps of Engels, whom he had so criticized.

Of course, humans learn from trial and error, so he didn’t use such a blatant method as Engels.

He was not a hypocrite who sold his conscience to power like Engels.

This was merely a desperate measure to stabilize the new Russia.

Once the country was stable, he would step down.

“In order to realize our ideals, there are still many hurdles to overcome. Unfortunately, we have been so oppressed by the great authorities of state and religion that we have lost the ability to think and pioneer for ourselves. My conclusion is that if we dismantle all organizations without restoring this, it will lead to self-destruction!”

“That’s right!”

“Please lead us, Teacher Bakunin!”

As I clearly felt in the South, the majority of people have a habit of wanting a strong leader to guide them.

This is probably because if they decide and act on their own, they have to bear the consequences when things go wrong.

That’s why they want a great leader with both ability and intelligence to lead them.

“First, until we all break free from the oppression that has suppressed us until now! Until we remove the shackles on our consciousness and become truly independent! We need an organization to support this entire process!”

“That’s right!”

“Some might say this: if there is such an organization, wouldn’t that become the government? That’s not possible! I will prevent it from becoming corrupted!”

Bakunin created an organization called the Reform Committee to reform the consciousness of Russian citizens and embarked on a full-scale enlightenment campaign.

To that end, this committee was granted extra-legal powers.

First, it was granted the right to organize a militia to protect Russia from external invasion.

Moreover, even if it’s a militia, as long as it’s a military organization, there must be discipline.

Bakunin brought in a large number of military officers who had cooperated with him, and of course, they controlled the soldiers in the same way as when they were in the Russian army.

“The revolution has succeeded, but other countries are unlikely to understand this unfamiliar system and may become hostile! Therefore, we need people to persuade other countries to understand our justice!”

In other words, diplomats are needed, and to manage diplomats, an organization such as a foreign ministry or a state department is needed.

An department dedicated to diplomacy was even established within the committee.

“···If this happens, isn’t it no different from the countries that have existed so far? Bakunin is now···.”

“There are those who do not understand the justification for reform and unconditionally call for the immediate dissolution of the organization! But in order to go out, people have to wear clothes. If we dissolve all organizations right now, it will lead to licentiousness, not freedom!”

“But if this happens, the revolution has no meaning···.”

“Why does it have no meaning! Now there are no more devils who force us to work 100 hours a week, and there are no more nobles and corrupt capitalists who take all the fruits into their own pockets! Believe it!”

Those who complain are reactionaries.

It was similar to how Imperial Russia branded those who voiced complaints as spies of the British Empire, but Bakunin repeatedly emphasized that he would accept legitimate criticism on the surface.

He was only a leader, not a dictator seeking power.

“All citizens of the new Russia are equal! Of course, there must be minimal rules and order depending on the organization we work in. But that doesn’t mean that a teacher has a superior position to a student. Superiors must respect subordinates, and subordinates should follow the instructions of superiors if they are reasonable.”

Even in the most basic community, the family, the father leads the family as the head, so the committee has no choice but to do the same.

However, instead of using the name of the government or the state, they used the name of the Reform Committee, and if they used a word that reminded them of the leader here, everything would be in vain.

While wondering if there was anything good.

Bakunin, who saw the double-headed eagle emblem that was once a symbol of Russia, had a lightning-like realization.

“We are all citizens with equal rights and freedoms, and there are no kings, presidents, prime ministers, or general secretaries in our new community! To prove that, I, the head of the Reform Committee, will abandon the title of Chairman from today. The first citizen of the new Russia! The Chairman of the Reform Committee promises to serve and support you at the same level as you!”

“As expected of Teacher Bakunin!”

“Who is it? Who are the ones who slander Teacher Bakunin as a dictator!”

Simply changing the name had an effect beyond imagination.

It was a truth that I had clearly felt since I was in the South.

Names and titles are the greatest symbols that define their existence.

Right now, the President of the United States has much more power than a constitutional monarch who is only good in name.

However, with just the name of king, people are easily mistaken that the king has something great.

The current situation was no different.

The Reform Committee led by Bakunin took full control of the state administration ‘temporarily’ until all the new Russian citizens were able to enjoy complete freedom even in an anarchist state.

National defense, diplomacy, administration, and justice.

All of this was subordinate to the committee, and Bakunin was the chief officer.

Nevertheless, Bakunin never thought of himself as a dictator.

After all, all of this was a temporary position that would disappear like a bubble when the preparation for enjoying true freedom was over.

Will that period ever come?

Only God knows.

* * *

“They said they would replace the ambassador in Russia, so let’s discuss the diplomatic relations between the two countries again later.”

It was as if the turmoil that had occurred when Russia collapsed was a lie, and the political circles of the British Empire regained their peace.

Wellesley let out an absurd chuckle and showed me the official letter sent from Russia.

“They want to maintain the validity of the treaties that Russia had previously signed with the British Empire, but weren’t they an anarchist state? No, I think they even denied the state.”

“Didn’t I tell you? Bakunin is already a person who has tasted the bitter taste of reality.”

“Come to think of it, Your Majesty met that person in Canada.”

“Not only that, but he also tried to drown me with Alexander II of Russia before, but failed.”

Come to think of it, Alexander II was ousted from the throne by a man who was on the same boat for a while, not someone else.

He was betrayed by the Prussian Crown Prince and kicked out by Bakunin, and I feel sorry for him again.

“If this happens, Bakunin’s Russia is virtually claiming to be the legitimate successor to the Romanov dynasty… what should we do?”

“There’s no reason not to recognize it. The ruling class has only changed anyway, so what’s the big deal?”

“What about the Romanov royal family and nobles… should we include conditions to guarantee their safety and allow them to defect to this country or other countries?”

When a country is turned upside down by a revolution, it is common for the royal family to be beheaded one after another, but Russia was not in such a reckless situation right now.

The Romanov dynasty also had many people with blood ties to various European countries, so they knew very well that executing them recklessly would cause backlash.

Bakunin had imprisoned them under the pretext of formally holding a trial and punishing them.

He is appeasing public sentiment by throwing some nobles who are good as scapegoats to the citizens who want blood.

In a way, wouldn’t it be possible to say that he cleverly ate up the power of the country?

“The future diplomacy and administration of Russia will be managed by that committee, but no matter how I look at it, it reminds me of that southern country across the Atlantic [referring to the United States and its own political complexities].”

“Isn’t he a person who learned politics there? Habits don’t go anywhere.”

Only the name has been changed to something more plausible, but the power that Bakunin is holding on to does not seem to be inferior to Engels.

Moreover, the fact that he contacted us as quickly as he seized power and asked us to recognize him means that this cannot be denied.

This guy is just Engels Mark 2.

“I’ve talked to the ministers, and it seems that there won’t be any major problems for us to recognize them. However, one concern is when Bakunin fails to maintain power and is ousted…”

“If we recognize them, that possibility will be less likely. Isn’t that why they reached out to us first?”

Since there is no internet in this era, how can citizens analyze and refute the contents of the treaty in detail?

Bakunin is clearly planning to use the fact that even the British Empire, which was trembling with fear of the Romanov dynasty, recognized the legitimacy of the revolution.

“Your Majesty seems to think it is more advantageous to shake hands with Bakunin.”

“Strictly speaking, we’re not shaking hands. Wouldn’t it be more appropriate to say that we’re putting a leash on him and putting a muzzle on him? That international organization that the Prime Minister was planning. Bringing Russia into it was the biggest concern, but if this happens, the concern will disappear.”

“Come to think of it… it would be a very good bargaining chip.”

Bakunin’s head must be exploding.

If the current Russia is not recognized as a proper country, all the international treaties that have been signed so far will have to be turned into scraps of paper.

Then, it is impossible to know what kind of snowball this will roll into, and it is impossible to even predict how Prussia or the British Empire will react.

If a war breaks out, it is impossible to know how far the hastily rebuilt militia will be able to cope, and above all, there is no guarantee that Bakunin’s regime will be safe even if it is blocked.

Of course, I didn’t think Bakunin’s regime would last long either.

This is because the original history, where big data has been accumulated, proves this.

Dictatorial regimes are bound to be destroyed.

I don’t know when that will happen, but that is a future that will definitely come.

So we have to suck as much as we can before it collapses.

“Let’s make a deal to actively support the establishment of the International Union and recognize everything Bakunin wants in exchange for participating in it.”

If we do well, we may be able to get a promise to participate without giving Russia a permanent seat on the board of directors.

Thank you, the true revolutionary of this era.