Chapter 167: Which Is More Important, Flour or Steel?
The young officials surrounding Roger at first didn't perceive the sudden drop in temperature around them.
Everyone was engaged in a heated discussion regarding the issue of whether or not to "abolish slavery."
All of them are young people, and keyboard activism is a passion that runs deep in their bones.
Moreover, as official members of the boundless empire, their counsel holds great sway over the empire's direction, being instrumental in many crucial decisions.
Their majesty's trust and the promising prospect instilled in them a sense of ambitious confidence, as well as a willingness to contribute their talents to the empire.
Even though Roger held a high position of power, they gradually began to speak without any regard.
Emotions flared up, who cares about the occasion!
It's really stretched to the limit! Not to mention the Commander of the Night Watch, even the Queen of the Eternal Night is here, and yet these passionate young people who are filled with patriotism dare to confront it directly.
This is the scene of a newborn calf no longer being afraid of tigers.
The Queen entrusted these officials not only for their talents, but also with the hope of utilizing their youthful vigor to bring about further progress for the empire.
Although Roger had long had an idea in his mind, he didn't interrupt the enthusiasm of the discussion, as it is not necessarily a bad thing to engage in such talks appropriately.
As long as it is not simply nitpicking, but rather a presentation of various perspectives, adopting multiple opinions will always yield additional benefits.
Officials from different regions of the empire, once seeing the actual situation on the ground, sometimes provide fresh perspectives towards solving the issues at hand.
The core of their discussion revolved around the social class of slaves and serfs, a class which numbered over 80 million in the empire.
Here, they are collectively referred to as slaves.
Unlike free citizens they have for various reasons lost their personal autonomy. Their ethnicity encompasses more than just humans and they were once considered as "property" of the land aristocrats.
Since the Empire’s aristocratic class had to return their land to the Empire as well as were disqualified from owning slaves, the liberated slaves from the nobles’ divested estates have come under the direct leadership of the empire.
Under Angelina's kindness, she would definitely confer upon them the status of free citizens, and then guide them towards the restoration of their own independent power of production.
However, Roger arranged these slaves to work directly at the state-owned farm under the pretext of harvest seizing.
Indeed, it was now early autumn, and to complete a season's harvest before the arrival of winter, even with the impediment of "magic rust," having enough manpower was necessary. Angelina, with her current arrangement, could not object.
So the identity issues of those slaves persisted, and were not resolved even during a whole winter.
The spring of a new year arrived with the Empire having enough land to allocate for these free citizens. Angelina and most of the Imperial officials supported the abolition of slavery.
Because according to the Imperial Constitution, the qualifications for the nobility to have the ownership of a massive number of slaves having already been abolished, it is now the empire itself, in charge of upholding justice, that starts owning slaves. Isn't this like the dragon slayer eventually becoming a dragon themselves?
Therefore, the slavery system that Roger upheld has been subject to numerous criticisms in various aspects of society.
"The Empire can indeed afford it, and the production power of free people surpasses that of slaves. With the Mokelahl famine solved, we should let the radiance of the Empire shine on a wider range of people."
Any virtuous official would passionately advocate for the abolition of slavery, and based on the Empire's current experiences, it can be said that slavery is a mode of production that is outdated for its time.
Whether it is under the employment system of state-owned farms or the encouragement of a family basis of farmers contracting land and taking responsibility for profits and losses themselves under the low taxation of the empire, the production value created by individuals must exceed that of slaves.
"I think these slaves should not be treated equally. Humans should have the status of free citizens, but races such as elves, dwarves, and goblins were born to be slaves. Allowing them freedom would lead to serious public safety issues."
Those administrative officials who serve at the border, as well as the young soldiers in the military, believe that the issue of the slaves' race should be recognized and analyzed on a case-by-case basis, rather than using a broad brush approach.
Although the empire was powerful, it had just escaped the risk of rebellion from the seventeen countries, and one misstep could have led it into an endless uprising, being forcibly dragged down.
As members of the human race, there are still seventeen countries where the elderly and young don't pledge allegiance to the empire. What's more, this is even truer for those races who were never part of the human race to begin with.
Either they will be expelled from the country, or they will continue to live as slaves. Those officials who have had contact with foreigners know very well that some people don't deserve sympathy at all.
Roger, who came from modern times and was indifferent to the medieval types who while they fiercely argue can still be swayed in their views, remained steadfastly against slavery from beginning to end.
The empire still requires a workforce that can be commanded to appear at any job position and so they were not able to abolish slavery at this time.
The reason he explained to everyone was, "The empire doesn't need so many peasants. With the use of magic fertilizer, large-scale agricultural machinery, and the constant improvement of crops to discover more superior varieties, only large farms with a small number of free citizens are needed to meet the food needs of the empire. More people should flow towards industry."
His views were met with a lot of opposition, not concerning abolitionism, but solely the population ratio he hoped for.
"Too radical, if one doesn't cultivate the land, they will starve!"
"Industrialization should be pursued, but it must be done gradually, while ensuring a sufficient population engaged in agriculture."
"The reforms should come step by step, just like finishing a meal. You are being too optimistic, Sir!"
Everyone earnestly advised Roger that if he were not the Commander of the Night Watch as well as a Duke favored by the Empress, many straightforward men would have insulted him for his behavior.
The lower an official's social background, the more acutely aware they are of the significance of agriculture; even many destitute nobles have experienced hunger.
They may have been reckless in military affairs, but they have always been cautious in agriculture, ensuring that there is no famine in the new year. This is the true victory, and one must not be greedy for success and advance recklessly.
To them, Roger's hope for more people to turn to industry is a typical example of a naive perspective driven by blind optimism. His amateur advice to the experts may lead to significant problems.
Roger seemed completely unsurprised by their opposition, and with a helpless shrug of his hands, he replied, "Your reaction only strengthens my determination not to abolish slavery."
His voice was not loud, and his half-smiling expression was very calm. It made these stubborn imperial people feel their impulse was somewhat foolish.
"Mr. Roger had already anticipated our reaction... by keeping the slaves, was he hoping to integrate them into the factory and reduce the number of people working in agriculture?" the deputy governor in charge of agriculture for a certain province asked curiously.
Everyone was clever enough to quickly realize the hidden meaning behind Roger's words.
Present were the most progressive officials of the Empire, the firmest supporters of the Empress's policies, and of course aware of the Empire's dream of industrializing magic.
But under the threat of "not eating enough," they also stingily controlled the proportion of the agricultural population and maintained a limited optimism about the agricultural growth of the empire.
Stability. We all work together to cultivate the land, step by step.
Yes. Simple data calculations can determine the exact number of agricultural population required by the empire to sustain the nationwide food demand.
However, such change was ultimately too rapid. The threat of famine loomed perilously close this year. History has shown numerous nations brought to ruin by warfare, with too many individuals conscripted and leaving their home fronts to starve to death in a calamitous tragedy.
Take for example Emperor Han Wu. Known for his great wisdom and bravery, even in his later years, he had to issue a self-reproach decree to reflect upon his own shortcomings.
Moreover, the level of civilization of the current regime is far from that of the perpetual night world of the Great Han Dynasty.
The officials dare not take too big of steps.
Under this mentality, "enough" food is certainly good, and if there is an "excessive" amount of food produced, it doesn't matter.
Whether it is for storage or for selling to neighboring countries, it is a profitable transaction without risk of loss.
The arbitrary transfer of agricultural workers to the industrial sector could lead to a catastrophic outcome as, if there is no famine across the country during that time, it would only cause starvation and death in the local area, which would become an ironic and tragic tale.
Don't talk about failing to keep your position as an official because if you hold a position as an official, then you owe it to the common people under your command to serve them justly, don't you?
This group of newly appointed government officials in the empire all held this belief, and those commoners at the bottom who cannot clearly observe the changes within the empire would be even more apprehensive about the ability to have their basic needs of food and clothing met.
Not only hungry for one year, but hungry for several decades in the past.
As long as they are able, it is guaranteed that these commoners will devote all their energy to the fields next year, striving to achieve even greater glory.
Do not think that propaganda is all-powerful. The momentum of death, the terror of starvation, and limited trust in the ruling authorities... will not necessarily make those free people abandon agriculture and turn to industry.
However, industries require an unprecedented amount of labor, especially skilled workers who have undergone extensive training. Without them, it is simply impossible to perform industrialization from agriculture.
Therefore, Roger had no choice but to keep this batch of slaves.
When surveying the empire, officials and free citizens both are seen to value agriculture as well as hold a cautious stance towards industry. However only the slaves serve as a revolutionary tool, that can move wherever necessary.
At least we have to go through these few years first, demonstrating the strength of the industry and the stable increase in agricultural output, proving that only a small population is needed to eradicate hunger. Only then will officials and the people have enough confidence to invest in industrial production without worry.
Magic is not omnipotent. Unless Roger casts a spell over all the people of the Empire, no matter how loud the slogan is, it won't yield any benefits, let alone conquer the fear of death.
The Earth has also undergone similar stages. During the early periods of industrial development, capitalists exhausted their efforts in order to secure sufficient labor force.
Whether it's carrying Uncle Hei's cotton or undermining the local small farmers' economy, even attracting child labor to work in factories - in fact, to some extent, all of these are competing for labor force driven by people's fear of hunger.
The emergence of child labor is not only due to the greed of capitalists, but also due to the encouragement of their parents. In an era of underdeveloped productive forces, children over the age of ten are already a source of labor. It is rare for them not to help their parents work in the fields.
Of course, due to their limited strength, the contribution of the adolescent was limited. When they realized that working in the factory could earn them more money, the parents voluntarily sent their child to work there.
For farmers who constantly hover on the brink of starvation, they would never consider how hard it is for their children or the potential safety risks they may face. Surviving is the only victory.
And when it comes to adult labor, they are absolutely willing to work in factories, unless their own family is struggling to make ends meet and cannot even afford seeds to plant.
Even if they went, it would only be a formality. After working for a few months and earning enough money to buy seeds, they would return to cultivate the land once again.
This is a frustrating tug-of-war. The Earth took a hundred years to complete this process, changing the division of labor in society, balancing the contradiction between flour and steel, but the Empire doesn't have that kind of time to spare.
For Roger, if he has slaves to directly stuff into his factory, why bother turning them into free citizens and then putting effort into locking them up in the factory?
Such a way is also a spiritual enslavement for their desire to cultivate the land.
So why bother making a fuss? Let's just abolish slavery altogether and continue to develop our potential.
The plantation owner has already substantiated, through practice, that in the early stages of industrial development, a rational form of slavery is necessary and even imperative for the expansion of output and production scale.
His kindness lies in not enslaving, nor instigating wars but giving these slaves the highest possible treatment.
After all, this is their precious industrial workforce, with enough food, labor protection equipment, literacy night schools, and room for upward mobility, they will have everything that free citizens should possess.
Anyway, the Empire can afford it. The wealth accumulated by the nobles, the harvest of the 17 countries, and the anticipated monopolistic production position, all give Roger enough confidence to support this cycle.
Leaving them with the status of being slaves, only by not giving them land, without allowing them the opportunity to choose to cultivate the land on their own.
When industrial development improves, the high income and good living conditions of these enslaved workers will attract more people to move towards the industry.
Otherwise, common people still prefer the farm.
Especially considering the industrious, hardworking leading ethnic group of the empire. Even if the factory paid far higher wages than farming, they would still consider it to be an unreliable and untrustworthy endeavor.
Have you not seen that even after being free from hunger for decades and making weight loss a daily routine, the citizens of the Rabbit Country still focus more on the prices of grain, vegetables, and meat than any other field?
Be careful not to starve to death!
Similar warnings, I'm afraid, have been written into the DNA of that nation, much like the fear of fire and weaponry.
The people of the Empire, though impoverished by war and passionately fond of battle, harbor no less fervent expectations for agriculture than the Rabbit Kingdom.
Roger utilized the on-site demonstration of their own choice, causing even the officials who agreed to abolish slavery to become lost in thought, understanding the issue of labour mobility which concerned Roger.
The state-owned farm encompasses free farmers and even military settlements, with sufficient output to guarantee the minimum food supply.
The existing slaves involved in the industry will not have any impact on the agricultural structure of the empire for the next few years.
Therefore, let us not waste our efforts in vain. No matter what, in the current empire, their quality of life will also improve significantly as long as they are well-fed and well-clothed without rebellion. They will not be inclined to disobey the central government's orders.
When the intensity of the argument on this side subdued, someone finally noticed that the temperature around them had dropped, as if there were two icy eyes staring at them all along.
"Jianzheng" was too happy and nobody noticed that Margaret had been standing here for half a day, her forced smile frozen on her face, looking quite displeased.
She was undoubtedly a beauty, and a distinguished left minister of the empire at that. However, when the topic of discussion turned to slaves, no one seemed to acknowledge her presence.
Truly despicable, the grudge emanated relentlessly, and frightened many!
When they realized that her true target was Roger, none of the officials present wanted to shield him. Some even mistakenly believed that this was a sensual debt owed by Lord Charles!
After all, at her age and his age, they can both be considered talented and good-looking.
Everyone dispersed in a commotion, leaving only Roger and Margaret face-to-face.
"Lady Margaret, do you need anything?" Roger asked politely. For some reason, he felt that the little demon's gaze was not just simple hostility, but rather complicated and unsettling.
What new misunderstanding has arisen between her and I again?
