Chapter 43: Forced reforms

Prime Minister Felix is ​​also a representative of the Austrian hawks, and he agrees with Franz's views.
The Hungarian problem will have to be resolved sooner or later, and compromise cannot solve the problem. Long-term pain is worse than short-term pain. It simply makes Hungary artificially counteract and solves the problem directly by force.
Austria did the same in history, but the Vienna government did not do it thoroughly, and in the end it showed mercy to the nobility.
In this way, although it won the support of the noble class, it also lost the opportunity to completely solve the Hungarian problem, and Franz naturally learned a lesson.
At this time, the Hungarian nation had not yet formed, and the Hungarian nation now has only half a million people with vested interests, and the remaining 13 million people have no ethnicity.
The Hungarian nation can only take shape until the dual empire is established. During this period, the Hungarian nobles and capitalists did not consider the people at the bottom to be part of them.
Not to mention the people at the bottom, a group of illiterate people work hard every day to survive, who has the energy to care about what the nation is?
Even in the Hungarian rebellion of 1848, when they raised the nationalist flag, they did not figure out what nationalism was. Most of the so-called Hungarian people did not know Hungarian at all, let alone Hungarian culture.
Nationalism was actually exported to them by the French, whose main purpose was to upset Austria so that France could realize its strategy of dominating Italy.
This can be reflected in many places. The Southern European region has not completed the national integration, and the Vienna government has to pay direct responsibility. If it is not their inaction, there are not so many bad things in later generations.
"His Royal Highness, the situation in Austria is unstable now. If the Hungarians reverse this time, our military pressure will be too great!" Foreign Minister Metternich objected.
Franz smiled slightly, knowing that Metternich had always liked to use political means to solve problems, which was both good and bad.
By political means, Metternich has created Austria's 30 years of glory and maintained its position as a power in the European continent. It has also accumulated many contradictions that can be resolved at one time.
For example: In the Galician Revolution of 1846, the Vienna government could solve the problem at one time. As a result, the government chose to compromise with the aristocracy and left the contradictions behind.
"I know, but once I miss this opportunity, I am afraid that the Hungarians will continue to consume it with us. Now the Vienna government has become their scapegoat and bear the anger of the people from the bottom.
Austria is old, we have too many internal contradictions, and this empire will be brought down sooner or later if it is not completely resolved.
The current military pressure is not without solutions. As soon as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs communicates with the Russians, we need the support of the Tsarist government.
If the situation continues to deteriorate, I would rather compromise with the French and the Prussians than with the domestic rebellion! "
Franz expressed his dissatisfaction with Metternich's previous administration and told everyone that he was determined to suppress the rebellion.
This answer is similar to that of Prime Minister Felix's political proposition. Historically, because Vienna was lost, the domestic situation was even more critical. At that time, the Vienna government decided to abandon Northern Italy.
It was only that Marshal Radkis refused to execute the orders of the Vienna government and did not withdraw troops from the Italian region, insisting on suppressing the revolution.
The current situation has not yet reached that point, and the price that Austria has to pay is much smaller, not to mention the recognition of the Sardinian kingdom as a French sphere of influence.
At this time, the domestic situation in France was also chaotic enough. As the cradle of the revolution, the banner of the revolution fluttered in many cities in France, and it was simply incapable of waging war.
Not to mention the Kingdom of Prussia, the situation in the country is not much better than Austria, the Great Revolution of 1848, but they are not missing.
If not two competitors were unlucky, then 1848 would be the end of the Austrian Empire.
...
"His Highness, the current situation in Austria, we must carry out an internal reform, and the serf problem is an inevitable problem." Chancellor of the Exchequer Carl broke through the window paper
All the people present were nobles. As a member of the vested interest group, this reform was cutting their flesh, and many people's faces were not so good.
However, everyone knows people, knowing that it is no longer possible to reform in Austria, and no one is against it.
Franz knew that this reform plan could only be put forward by himself, otherwise if these people were to preside over the reform, it would be another incomplete reform.
"The abolition of serfdom is a historical trend. The biggest problem now is how to deal with the lives of serfs after the abolition of serfdom?
The solution to this situation is clear to everyone: let the serfs get the land and protect their basic needs.
But now the land is owned by the owner. There is no extra land in Austria to give them. The road in front of us has actually passed by the British and the French.
Either redeem the noble land, or forcefully deprive the noble land through revolution. I think no one wants to be forcibly deprived of land, so we actually only have one choice. "
There is no doubt that Franz knew that his should be seated over there, and put the question to rest, waiting for the response of the cabinet members.
In addition, the Schwarzenberg family, where Prime Minister Felix is ​​located, has 470,000 hectares of land. Now, not only the abolition of serfdom, but also the idea of ​​their land, no one would be happy to change it.
"His Highness, it is easy to abolish serfdom, but to deprive the nobles of their land, this is ..."
Waiting for Grandpa Louis to finish, Franz interrupted: "I have no intention of forcibly depriving all the nobles of land.
In view of the current situation, I think it can be done in two situations. All the nobles who participate in the insurgency or help the insurgents, all deprived of land and nationalized.
This part of the land will be leased to farmers and allowed for redemption. The ownership of these lands can be purchased by installments.
But nobles who are still loyal to the emperor, naturally cannot be treated so harshly. I recommend buying land from everyone, but not forcing it.
But in return, after the abolition of serfdom, nobles who refused to redeem must provide jobs to serfs, turning them into hired farmers or workers, to avoid causing social unrest.
In order to ensure the stability of the country, the national land rent must not exceed five levels of annual income. After the reform is completed, nobles must also pay taxes! "
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