Holy Roman Empire

Franz is a realist, and he must compromise when it is time to compromise. He has no radical desire to confiscate the noble land, which is impossible.

Just look at how many noble officers there are in the army, and how many noble employees there are in the government, and he knows what to do.

Chapter 45 Legal Weapons

On March 3, the Vienna government promulgated the "Land Lease Act", which stipulates that farmers have the right to lease land, and the maximum rent shall not exceed 21% of the land income.

This is to protect the most basic survival rights of farmers. If there are no restrictions, it is estimated that there will be another outbreak of hunger soon.

On March 3, the Vienna government promulgated the "Serf Resettlement Guarantee Law", requiring nobles to provide minimum living guarantees for freed serfs and solve the employment problem of farmers.

That is: farmers must not be deprived of their existing housing rights; lease land to farmers, or hire farmers to ensure employment.

In order to prevent capitalists and aristocrats from taking advantage of the fire, on March 1848, 3, the Vienna government issued the "Prohibition of Usury Act".

The bill stipulates that the annual interest rate of any type of loan in Austria shall not exceed 30.00%20.00; the annual interest rate of loans for vulnerable groups such as farmers and workers shall not exceed [-]%[-].

For any personal loan, interest is calculated on the actual amount received.

After May 1848, 5, any usury contract is regarded as an invalid contract and has no legal effect, which means that it can not be repaid.For the usury contracts that have been signed, the law only protects the proceeds within the legal scope.

This is to prevent problems before they happen. In fact, when this law was enacted, the cabinet members did not think that the nobles would take advantage of the fire, and usually only capitalists would do this kind of thing.

Well, Franz didn't argue with them on this issue, and the big nobles would definitely not do it. Such a small profit is not worth getting their hands dirty, and the small nobles might not.

There are also poor people among the nobles. Every year a group of nobles in Europe go bankrupt, and these people don't care about the glory of the nobles.

Since it is aimed at attacking capitalists, this bill prohibiting usury naturally has many unfavorable clauses for violators, such as severe penalties.

As long as the usury is caught, all the property will be confiscated first, and he will go to the prison by the way, starting at least three years, and indefinitely is not a dream.

On March 3, the Vienna government introduced the "Minimum Wage Law", which is a subsidiary act of the "Labor Protection Law", which stipulates the minimum wage standard.

Because the economic development of each region is different, the minimum wage in the Vienna area was first announced, namely: 4.5 guilders per week for male workers, 2.5 guilders per week for female workers, and 45 kletts per week for child workers.

(Note: 1 shield here = 11.6928 grams of silver = 60 klets)

Franz is still very pragmatic and has not formulated a wage package that exceeds the actual situation. This wage standard can only meet their living needs, and workers still need to work overtime if they want a better life.

Including the use of child labor, which disgusts him the most, has not been resolved.

There is no way. The current situation in Austria is like this. It is easy to prohibit the use of child labor in factories, but after losing their source of income, the life of these children is a big problem.

However, these laws still have a positive effect. A small increase in the treatment of workers ensures the survival needs of workers. Of course, this only guarantees the right to survival.

If you want to get a better life, wait for the further development of productivity. This is determined by social reality. If labor costs are not reduced, the products of enterprises will lose their competitiveness.

……

It can be said that 1848 was the year of legislation in Austria. Perhaps Franz was used to the legal society and was very keen on legislation.

In March alone, Franz promulgated fifteen laws. Almost every day after his regency, new laws were introduced.

From the initial abolition of serfdom to the rights and interests of workers in the later period, there are special laws and regulations.

Regardless of other effects, these laws first sent Austrian reforms to the flickering, and everyone believed that the reforms this time must be earth-shattering.

Franz successfully passed the legislation to divert the public's attention, because the coverage of the law was too wide, and while the law was introduced, it also met the interests of serfs and workers.

The antagonism between the people and the government has been improved, and the revolution has lost its mass base unknowingly. Of course, only the Vienna area is the first to change, and other areas will need time to ferment.

These are all things in the future. The Austrian government has just received good news. On March 3, the Berlin Revolution broke out, and Prussia was also caught in the wave of revolution.

Just being unlucky alone, the mood must be unpleasant. At this time, there is another unlucky person, and everyone's mood will be much more comfortable.

Of course, worrying about the Kingdom of Prussia taking advantage of the fire and looting is the main factor. Now that the Berlin Revolution has broken out, it is naturally impossible for Prussia to be too busy to do things at this time.

Everyone's good mood didn't last long, and the Czech region broke out again. No need to think about Franz, he knew that the big capitalists in the Czech region were all Austrians. It would be strange if there were no traces of them.

Now it is not only necessary to establish a unified Czech parliament, but also to establish an independent National Guard. At the same time, it is also required that the Czech language be given the same status as German.

There is no doubt that this demand for secession is non-negotiable, and the Vienna government cannot agree to the secession of Austria.

Now intelligence personnel are recording the list of nobles and capitalists who participated in this activity, and Franz is ready to attack the Czech region.

The biggest problem for ordinary people in this era is to have enough to eat, and any other demands are instigated by someone.

Franz has always dismissed the inclusion of the petty and middle bourgeoisie and the working class in history books. Can the needs of the exploiting class and the exploited class be the same?

The Austrian government is promoting labor protection laws. At this time, workers have no reason to oppose the government to fight for their rights?

According to the information sent back, the main crowd of demonstrations in Prague were students and petty and middle-class people, and the workers just regarded the demonstrations as work and took money to do things.

"Your Excellency Prime Minister, what is the cabinet going to do with the demonstrations in the Prague area?"

Franz resolutely ignored the conditions they raised. It was impossible to agree to it, and there was no need to discuss it.

"We have ordered the Prague government to arrest the mastermind of this conspiracy, and the cabinet has given an order to Prince Wendisch Gretz to prepare him to suppress the rebellion!" Felix said murderously

At this time, it is impossible for the Vienna government to make concessions, and he is too lazy to do anything. The Czech region is different from other regions, and there is no revolutionary mass base here at all.

In his view, this was a counterattack made by some nobles and capitalists who were dissatisfied with the reforms of the Vienna government. After all, once the Czech Kingdom was established, these bills did not need to be implemented.

Chapter 46 Abolition of Local Tariffs

By 1848, the Czech region had become one of the industrial centers of Austria. With the development of industry, the wealth of capitalists also increased greatly.

The outbreak of demonstrations this time is actually a mismatch between the wealth and political status of the capitalists, and they are unwilling to have no say in politics.

The Austrian government has successively introduced new laws, sacrificing the interests of capitalists to a certain extent, and catalyzing the demonstration in Prague.

In Franz's view, these people were probably used to the carefree days of Metternich's era, and those who forgot to formulate the rules of the game can also modify the rules of the game at any time.

Now the Austrian government has stated that it will not play this game. Those who follow me will prosper, and those who oppose me will perish. We will engage in whoever has an opinion.

Of course, everyone is a civilized person, and it is impossible to play so excessively. It is still necessary to give Tianzao a stick.

"In view of the current domestic situation, I propose to abolish local tariffs to ease the dissatisfaction of capitalists!" Chancellor of the Exchequer Carl proposed

At present, there are local tariffs in Austria mainly in Hungary, and tariffs in other places have been abolished one after another.

In fact, it is not right to put all the responsibility for the tariffs between Hungary and Austria on the Vienna government. As early as the last century, Austria planned to abolish the tariffs in various places in the country, but it was opposed by the Hungarian nobles and capitalists.

The economic development of Austria is uneven. In industrially developed areas, capitalists naturally advocate the abolition of local tariffs. However, in industrially backward Hungarian areas, capitalists still count on local protection?

Of course, Hungary is not without advocating the abolition of local tariffs. For example, capitalists in the grain industry want to abolish tariffs.

Hungarian taxes have nothing to do with the Vienna government, they collect them for their own use.

There is no doubt that the Hungarian nobles can get a share of the local tariffs, which is also the biggest obstacle to the abolition of local tariffs.

The purpose of Karl's suggestion now is obviously not pure. Apart from buying the hearts of some capitalists, it also means to warn the Hungarian nobles.

At this time, the Vienna government still believed that the nobles dominated the Kingdom of Hungary, and the capitalists on the surface were white gloves.

Franz has no intention of correcting it. There are too many nobles in Hungary, accounting for [-]% of the total population. Most of the capitalists in Hungary have another status—nobility.

If they are not suppressed, according to their attributes of death, it is estimated that the Hungarian issue will cause him headaches in the future.

This point has been proven in history. From Austria to the Austro-Hungarian Empire, they are all troubled by the Hungarian issue. If the Hungarian people did not support the Habsburg family, they would have become independent long ago.

"Yes, Austria is a unified country, and the existence of local tariffs is against the trend!"

There is no doubt that at this time Franz does not mind making the Hungarian rebellion more violent.

The reforms carried out by the Austrian government have actually met the interest demands of Hungarian workers and farmers.

Pulling one faction against the other, uniting the majority and attacking the small group is never wrong in politics.

Next, he will continue to introduce laws and regulations to remove obstacles to the development of the bourgeoisie economy and shake the determination of the capitalists to rebel.

The abolition of local tariffs only harmed the interests of the big nobles. The small nobles were not qualified to profit from it, and even their interests were lost. Without tariffs, at least their food would be more competitive.

This is not enough. Let the Hungarians participate in the rebellion, at most it will involve most of the nobles.

"Your Highness, I'm afraid this won't work. Abolishing the Hungarian tariffs will have an impact on the Austrian grain industry and affect the income of Austrian farmers!" Archduke Louis objected.

Franz suddenly remembered that the abolition of the tariffs with Hungary would cause the biggest impact not on the farmers, but on the nobles with large tracts of land. After one more competitor, the price of food would definitely drop.

Franz hesitated a little, should he stimulate the nobles in the country at this time?Serfdom has just been abolished, and now food from Hungary is being released to hit food prices. Will it touch their bottom line?

At this time, Prime Minister Felix helped make a decision.

"Since 1846, the price of grain in Austria has been rising continuously. For the stability of the country, it is necessary for us to control the price of food within a reasonable range.

In the long run, it is also a good thing that Hungarian food enters Austria. The drop in food prices can help us stabilize the people's hearts as soon as possible.

Moreover, after the abolition of tariffs, the competitiveness of Austrian industrial and commercial products entering Hungary will also increase, which will help restore the trauma caused by the economy! "

Franz was relieved, the prime minister of this big local tycoon didn't mind the drop in food prices, so the bottom line of the nobles might be much lower.

Historically, it seems that Austria also abolished the tariff system during this period, but Franz does not know the exact year.

"The prime minister is right, abolishing tariffs now can restore the Austrian economy as soon as possible, which is very important to us.

Because of the war, our fiscal revenue may be greatly reduced this year. If the property of the rebels had not been confiscated, the government would probably go bankrupt now.

The next counter-insurgency war will definitely cost money like water, and the money may be a drop in the bucket, so we must find ways to increase revenue and reduce expenditure.

Now that we still have so many factories in our hands, we must get them up and running as soon as possible. The Hungarian market is essential! " Foreign Minister Metternich said

Well, Austria is really short of money.Before the March Revolution, the Vienna government still owed a national debt of 3 million guilders, and now it has a debt of about 800 to 5000 million guilders. (1 shield equals about 11.6928 grams of silver)

Don't get me wrong, it's not that Franz has paid back the money, but that the creditors are gone.

Because of the rebellion, many bonds were destroyed in the flames of war, and more creditors became wanted criminals. The anti-rebellion army also seized a large amount of bonds, and Franz burned them directly.

There are two types of national bonds issued by the Austrian government: real-name system and anonymous system. Naturally, the wanted criminals will not come to ask for the account of the real-name system, and the registered system can be changed hands.

It would be idealistic to expect the Hungarian market to restore the Austrian economy.

Franz believed that Hungarian capitalists would not mind doing business with Austria, even in the event of a revolution.

On the issue of war, how to ensure the safety of transportation?Who still has the mind to buy these products?You can't sell arms to the Hungarians, right?

Chapter 47 The First Italian-Austrian War Begins

On March 1848, 3, the Vienna government announced the abolition of local tariffs and prohibited local governments from collecting tariffs in any name. The Hungarian representative in Vienna slammed the door and left on the spot.

Don't be surprised, although the Hungarians proposed the abolition of local tariffs in the conditions, but their request was Austria's unilateral abolition, not that Hungary should also give up the Austrian tariffs.

Otherwise, there is no need to argue about this issue at all. As early as 1795, during the Maria reform period, the abolition of local tariffs was proposed, and by 1848, other places had already been abolished.

Due to the obstruction of interest groups in Hungary, this tariff was continued.The truth of the matter and the propaganda of the outside world are fundamentally two concepts, and the spring and autumn brushwork is also applicable in Europe.

Otherwise, the Vienna government did not have to wait until the Hungarian revolution was suppressed to abolish the customs duties with Hungary.

……

One wave is not flat, another wave rises!

The problem in the Czech region has not been resolved, and another bad news has reached Vienna, and the Kingdom of Sardinia has declared war on Austria!

On the evening of March 3, King Charles Albert of Sardinia declared war on Austria in a speech on the square of the Royal Palace. Because of the war, the news reached Vienna on the 23th.

"Have the reinforcements we sent to Field Marshal Radeski arrived?" Franz asked.

After suppressing the Vienna rebellion, the Austrian government deployed [-] troops to reinforce Marshal Radeski.

This was originally prepared by Franz in response to the war with the Kingdom of Sardinia, otherwise he would not need reinforcements just to suppress the rebellion in Austrian Italy.

If there were no reinforcements, it would probably be the same as in history. Marshal Radeski relied on a small number of troops to deal with the Italians, and only defeated the Italians after the arrival of domestic reinforcements.

The situation is different now. The Vienna rebellion was suppressed in advance, and rebellions in other places have not yet broken out, and Austria still has the power to invest in the Italian battlefield.

"I arrived in the Venice area the afternoon before yesterday, and now I have started to suppress the rebellion!" Felix said with a livid face.

A small kingdom of Sardinia dares to come and challenge Austria at this time, which is simply breaking ground at the head of the age.

Franz shook his head. This anti-Austrian anti-Austrian storm was not just the Kingdom of Sardinia participating. The Papal States, the Principality of Tuscany, and the Kingdom of Naples were all forced to participate in the war by public opinion.

The Austrian embassies in various Italian states have already sent news that the country should strengthen its vigilance.

"Send an order to Marshal Radesky. Let him watch the fight. He will count where he hits. If he needs reinforcements, let him wait for another month!" Franz thought for a while and said

Regarding military issues, he has no intention of discussing with the cabinet. These people are all laymen, and their military literacy is probably not as good as his.

The risk of a layman leading an expert was too great. After the revolution broke out, telegraph lines in Vienna and Italy were destroyed.

Franz didn't know the specific situation on the Italian battlefield. The only thing he could do now was to delegate power and provide Marshal Radeski with logistical support.

Historically, he suppressed the Italian rebellion and defeated the armies of the Italian states. Now Austria has a greater advantage, and there is no reason to lose.