Flowers, Swords and France

"All the problems faced by the country today are ultimately financial problems. As long as the country can still maintain its financial stability, support its administrative organs and army, and maintain the country's material supply to a sufficient extent, it will If we can continue, we can sleep peacefully, Mr. Du Meng, I think you must understand this very well, right?"

In the office of the Prime Minister's residence, the current Prime Minister of France, His Excellency Guizot, looked at his staff, the Minister of Finance, Mr. Dumont, expressionlessly, and said the above paragraph.

"Of course I understand, Your Excellency." For well-known reasons, the Chancellor's attitude is much gentler than that of the Prime Minister, but there is still some underlying antagonism deep inside. "These are the few times I have told you. mentioned."

The Prime Minister nodded slightly, but there was still some displeasure on his face.

"Since you fully understand this truth, why did you tell me today that we are facing an insurmountable financial crisis? By appointing you to this position, doesn't His Majesty the King want you to help us avoid this situation?"

"I think this is not my responsibility, Your Excellency." Under the Prime Minister's questioning, Mr. Du Meng's tone became a little fierce, "Your Excellency, I am just an ordinary person, not an alchemist. I can't give you anything." Conjuring a mountain of gold out of thin air, I don’t think you can find someone to complete this work for His Majesty the King.”

The tough attitude of the Finance Minister made the Prime Minister frown slightly, but considering that the other party was still useful and was not an easy target, he still suppressed his unhappiness.

"Pierre, my friend, are things really that bad already?" He changed his approach, trying to use a professional smile to dilute the tension between the two people.

"Yes, it is that bad." The minister sighed, "It's terrible, sir."

"But……"

Just when the Prime Minister was about to say something more, the Minister continued in an almost ** style, "Your Excellency, I really can't think of a way. The Ministry of Finance has already been saddled with a debt of 400 million francs! It's 400 million francs, Sir! If we just repay the debt, that's fine. As long as we can still borrow money and generate income, we can gradually eliminate any debt... But where can we borrow it now? Where can I find money?"

"Don't worry yet..." The Prime Minister still wanted to smooth things over.

"The current situation makes it impossible not to be anxious, Your Excellency, it's terrible." As the minister shook his head with gestures excitedly, his pale hair also danced around, looking extremely ridiculous, but no one was in the mood at this moment. Laughing out loud, "The new round of public debt issuance is not going well. Soon we will be unable to make ends meet, perhaps even dry up, or even the entire government will go bankrupt."

"It's not that bad, right?!" After hearing his words, the Prime Minister couldn't remain calm.

"It's just that bad." The Chancellor of the Exchequer replied gloomily. "The national industrial depression has reduced our commercial tax revenue by one-fifth since last year, and agriculture is also in a slump. These damn natural disasters have not stopped for several years. However, our tax revenue is much lower than in the past. But what about expenditures? Nothing less, even more and more... Your Excellency, I don't want to say anything more. I just want to say: If we continue like this, our government will not last long. You can take care of the rest. If you feel that I am not qualified, you can replace this position with someone else and see what miracles he can create."

"Hey, my friend, don't be so angry." Upon hearing the Minister of Finance's obviously angry words, the Prime Minister hurriedly smiled and comforted him, "I'm sorry, my attitude just now was a bit harsh, but I don't have anything else. I mean, I'm just surprised by our current situation..."

The prime minister's comfort had some effect after all. The minister's expression softened a lot, and he sighed.

"I'm surprised too, sir. But being surprised won't solve the problem. We have to find a way to escape from this unbearable situation, right? Otherwise, it won't be long before we no longer have to think about these problems..."

After hearing his last words, the Prime Minister couldn't help but slightly widen his eyes.

Even the minister, who is always outspoken, said something like this that was really horrifying. However, what he said is indeed a wise saying that cannot be refuted.

After a long silence, the Prime Minister asked a question softly.

“Can you think of ways to cut back a little on spending these days?”

"There is no way." The finance minister replied directly, "I have tried my best to cut it before, but if I cut it again now, it will only make our crisis worse. Can we withhold the salaries of officials or the pay of the army? Can’t do it? Can we stop all the projects that have been subcontracted?”

The Prime Minister lowered his head and said nothing. He understood what the minister meant.

It’s not that these people are worried about the country and the people and don’t want to delay the construction of a harmonious capitalist society in France for a second, but because the subcontracting and construction of various projects have already formed huge interest groups, including politicians and business figures. It has long been entangled, and in some cases even the Prime Minister and the Chancellor of Finance are involved in it. It cannot be stopped just by wanting to stop it. The political entanglements involved are enough to deter anyone.

After realizing that austerity was not feasible, the Prime Minister quickly abandoned this idea and thought of another one.

"Then let's increase taxes?" He asked again tentatively.

The minister still shook his head, obviously not optimistic about this idea.

"Now the market is depressed, how can we increase taxes? We raised the tax rate, but the market will shrink, and the total tax amount received in the end will not be higher than before, but will bring complaints to the government for nothing..."

"Can you think about adding it to those necessities, such as salt tax?" The Prime Minister continued to ask.

[Salt tax (French gabelle) is an important tax in France with a long history. It originally referred to the tax collected by the government through the transaction of most agricultural products. Later, it gradually evolved into a tax specifically for the sale of salt. Since salt is a necessity of life, everyone will inevitably be taxed by the government in their lives - although indirectly.

So, it is obvious that the lower-class people in France have been complaining about the salt tax. In 1790, the salt tax was abolished by the new revolutionary government, but in 1806, it was restored by Emperor Napoleon I for financial reasons. 】

"This will make us complain, sir!" the minister reminded.

"Aren't we complaining now?" the prime minister sighed, "There's no way to worry about our reputation at this time?"

"Will it be passed by the parliament?" the minister was still a little skeptical.

"I will find a way and try to solve it as soon as possible." The prime minister nodded, "If it is a temporary tax increase, it is not impossible..."

"If it succeeds, it's not bad..." The minister nodded, but still looked dissatisfied, "But even so, it can't fill the fiscal gap?!"

"Then what do you say?" The prime minister couldn't help but get impatient.

The original text is in the six # 9 @book/bar!

The minister pondered for a moment, then looked around cautiously.

"In my opinion, if we want to solve the long-term problem, we still have to follow the method I proposed last time... We have to borrow some money from those financiers... Your Excellency, have you conveyed the special national debt issue I mentioned that time to His Majesty?"

It would have been better if he didn't say it. As soon as he mentioned this issue, the Prime Minister couldn't help but frown.

"Well, I have already told His Majesty before, and His Majesty replied that he still wants to think about it..."

"Think about it! You still have to think about it at this time..." Disappointed, the minister couldn't help but lament, "Does His Majesty think he still has a lot of time to think about it?"

The Prime Minister did not stop the minister's complaints, perhaps because he thought so in his heart.

It took him a long time to speak again.

"Since His Majesty is still considering it, we can't force him to do anything, so let him think about it again. I will go to the palace again in the next few days to talk to him again, hoping that he can make up his mind earlier."

Although he said this, he actually had no confidence.

Even if His Majesty really agreed, can he do it? The two people thought of this problem at the same time, and they felt helpless at the same time.

The huge financial pressure has made the dynasty breathless, but until now, the government and the court have not been in a unified pace, and they can't think of any good solutions to the internal and external crises, let alone the parliament and the outside world.

What will happen if they really can't survive? Thinking of the bleak future prospects, the two people who are already at the top of the government can't help but feel a little discouraged. Even if they try their best to cover up according to the habit of politicians, they can't help but show a trace of dejection on their faces.

When a country is in danger and on the verge of collapse, future generations often feel that the rulers at that time seem to be at a loss, watching their country and family fall, and they will take it for granted that "I will do better than them if I go up...!"

In fact, this is a very superficial idea.

Often, it is not that the rulers are so ignorant that they cannot see the imminent crisis of rule, nor that they cannot think of a solution, but that they are bound by their own positions, inherent systems and class affiliations, and are simply unable to implement those seemingly beautiful solutions. Even if the descendants who laughed at their predecessors for being too stupid were possessed by their souls at this time, they would probably not be able to solve these intractable problems.

Therefore, most of them can only soberly watch their own regimes decline and fall, and are at a loss.

"Pierre, don't think too much, let's do what we can first." The Prime Minister sighed again and ended today's conversation with the minister. (To be continued.)