Holy Roman Empire - Chapter 86

Chapter 86: Chapter 86, Ready to Kill the Sheep

Translator: 549690339

“Conquering the heart is of utmost importance, conquering cities is of lesser significance.”

Many understand this principle, yet only a few can truly execute it. Julius’ recent actions were commendable; likely, no one would associate him with the Butcher General any longer.

Emancipating serfs and distributing land were potent tools to win over the hearts of the people. Even though the farmers still needed to pay for the redemption of the land, Julius still gained a wave of popular support.

Once the local populace learned that they could acquire land for free by cooperating with the government forces to suppress the rebellion, farmers near Budapest spontaneously became volunteers.

The Kosuth Government’s capacity to carry out its duties was limited, and with their inability to control all fronts, they couldn’t manage to block the spread of news.

After the news of land distribution spread within the city, many began to change their minds. Nobility gnashed their teeth in hatred, capitalists trembled in fear, while the lower-class workers saw new hope.

Since the Austrian Government’s decree concerning the farmers had been honored, there naturally was also a possibility that the protective laws for the working class would be fulfilled.

Under such circumstances, Franz’s intelligence organization also sprang into action. Seeing the Hungarian Republic’s ship about to sink, there were many who were unwilling to go down with them.

The great nobles might be enraged by the Austrian Government’s actions, but now they had to hold their noses and accept it, as they had too much at stake to risk losing it all.

With the cooperation of these influential local figures, the intelligence organization’s work progressed very smoothly. The Kosuth Government, with no experience in governance, was utterly in the dark about these matters.

Perhaps due to the trauma caused by the secret police, as soon as the revolutionaries came into power, they disbanded these organizations. Now, the domestic self-defense forces, which had become the enforcers for capitalists and nobility, were maintaining order in Budapest.

If things continued this way, perhaps in another three to five months, the Austrian Government might be able to take Budapest without even shedding blood.

Vienna

“Your Highness, the Croatian Corps has successfully met with the Bohemian Corps in Budapest. The war in Hungary should end; dragging this on any longer would be extremely disadvantageous for us!” Prince Windischgrätz stated seriously.

He didn’t exaggerate. The reason the rebel army was just a disorderly mob was that they had been hastily assembled and lacked formal training.

Such an enemy could be easily handled by a regular army. If given more time, once this disorderly mob completed their training, they would become much more challenging to deal with.

Historically, the Hungarian revolution drained so much of Austria’s energy and even required Russian assistance to suppress, all because they had been given too much time to prepare.

“Hmm, if that’s the case then let us launch the attack. Order the troops to exercise restraint; I don’t want to clean up after them!” Franz said gravely.

“Yes, Your Highness!” replied Prince Windischgrätz.

“Prime Minister, how is the post-conflict preparation? Once we’ve suppressed the Hungarian revolution, what are the government’s plans for managing the Hungarian Region?” Franz asked with concern.

Prime Minister Felix confidently replied, “Your Highness, considering

Hungary’s special situation, our cabinet plans to further divide the Hungarian Province into three provinces using the Tisza River and the Danube River as the dividing lines.”

They are: the Transleithanian Province west of the Danube River, with the provincial capital in Pécs; the Central Hungarian Province to the east of the Danube River and the west of the Tisza River, with the provincial capital established in Miskolc; and the Eastern Hungarian Province to the east of the Tisza River, with the provincial capital set in Debrecen.

In addition to the already segregated Croatian Province, Transylvanian Province, Slavonian Province, and Vojvodina Province, the Kingdom of Hungary would be divided into seven parts.

After the war, the areas where the Hungarians were concentrated were also divided into three parts, and the government would invest a large amount of funds in local education, helping the people there assimilate into the great Austrian family as soon as possible.”

Franz nodded in satisfaction. With the division of administrative regions and the assimilation of language and culture, this combination would mean that in a few decades Hungary would become just a regional term.

“How will the educational funding be resolved?” Franz asked with concern.

Austria is now operating under a wartime economic system, that is, the so-called planned economy, and has also confiscated a large number of properties from the reactionaries, so naturally, there is no shortage of money.

This economic model, only suitable for the short term emergency, or for a bold economic surge, would become a constraint on economic development due to institutional rigidity over time, and eventually, a return to a normal economic model is inevitable.

If the Central Government were to allocate funds, the financial pressure on the government would be too great after the economy returned to normal. After all, if Hungary requires assimilation, other areas of Austria would need assimilation as well.

“Your Highness, we are planning to abolish the Church tithe and replace it with a compulsory education tax levied by the government, to resolve the funding shortfall!” Felix said hesitantly.

Franz’s eyes lit up. He had long wanted to abolish the Church tithe, but as a “devout Catholic,” he could not rashly abolish it without a suitable reason, as it would cause conflict with the Church.

Now that the Prime Minister had brought it up, Franz wholeheartedly agreed. If the Church had any objections, they could take it up with the Cabinet. The idea was theirs after all, Franz thought wickedly.

After all, this was no longer the Middle Ages. The Pope had been driven into exile in Naples by the Revolutionaries, and the Church simply could not overpower the government. Of course, ruining someone’s reputation was still within their capabilities.

“Is the funding sufficient? In the coming years, we will need to invest a significant sum in educational funding nationwide. Is the tithe enough?” Franz asked worriedly.

Felix spoke firmly, “Your Majesty, there is severe corruption among the religious personnel in the country, and as devout believers in God, we must rectify the Church’s malpractices.

The Cabinet is preparing a thorough investigation of Church personnel, to severely punish those who violate their vows, and to confiscate the Church’s illegal properties.

This money will all be put towards education. Combined with the compulsory education tax, the funding for Austria’s compulsory education should surely be sufficient.

Having already offended the Church once, he decided to go for broke and continue targeting the Church, this fat sheep.

How wealthy was the Austrian Church in the mid-19th century? It’s hard to

give an exact figure, but after so many years of accumulation, the Church was much wealthier than the Austrian Government.

The guilt of possessing a jade is not in the man but in the jade.

Having too much money isn’t necessarily a good thing, and now it had caught the attention of the Austrian Government. Franz, the “devout Catholic, naturally had to clean house on behalf of God.

“The Prime Minister makes a reasonable point. The moral cultivation of religious personnel must be strengthened.. As believers in God, we have an obligation to help those servants of God who have gone astray and guide them back onto the right path!!”