Mediterranean Hegemony Road

Time passed quickly, and it was 1914. The arms race was still in full swing, and countries were scrambling to make dumplings.

There is no doubt that the top spot is still the British Empire, with its strong shipbuilding industry to stabilize the world.

The Germans who followed closely did not give in too much, setting a record of launching 100 warships in one year, which amazes the whole world!

In the context of the arms race, the news that Bulgaria has completed the Third Five-Year Plan has been covered up. Ferdinand, who has always been low-key, naturally didn't mean to make a big deal.

Of course, this is impossible. The eyes of ordinary people are attracted, but politicians from various countries still expressed their concern, but that's all!

Many people are still waiting to see Bulgaria's joke. If it is just to increase industrial production capacity, the British Empire can overtake Germany and the United States at any time if it wants to. The question is what to do with the industrial products produced?

The problem of overproduction has been plaguing the United States and Germany for a long time, and a new round of economic crisis will break out if it is not handled well. Can Bulgaria be an exception?

Fortunately, Ferdinand suppressed the development of the financial industry, otherwise the Bulgarian stock exchange market would have gone crazy by now.

However, the price paid is also serious. In terms of the total economic volume, due to the absence of the stock market, by the end of 1913, Bulgaria was only on par with the Italians. You must know that now Italy can only be regarded as half of Italy, and the economic gap between the north and the south is huge!

According to the predictions of economists, if Bulgaria opens up its financial market, then the domestic economic aggregate will soon achieve leapfrog development. It is not a dream to double the fiscal revenue within three years, and it is just around the corner to surpass the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

Then there is no such thing as a bubble-type economic aggregate, although it can increase fiscal revenue and facilitate shearing, but it cannot increase the potential for war!

Besides, Ferdinand wants to explode the population? In his opinion, the dividends brought by Bulgaria's economic development are consumed on the new population, which is far more reliable than the illusory stock market to create a group of rich people!

By the end of 1913, Bulgaria's total steel production for the whole year had reached 3.486 million tons, which was 3.5 million tons away from the set target. Rounding up, it is no problem to announce the completion of the plan now.

Compared with steel production, coal production has developed by leaps and bounds. With the development of the economy, the demand for coal is also increasing day by day, and there is a driving force for mining if there is demand.

Kosovo has become Bulgaria's largest coal production base.

In 1913, the coal output in the Kosovo region exceeded more than 16 million tons, and the national coal output exceeded 33 million tons!

Not to mention ship production, the original target was low, and except for the Black Sea route and the Mediterranean route, ocean-going shipping Bulgaria is still seldom involved, and it is basically enough for its own use.

By the end of 1913, the gross tonnage of Bulgarian ships had suddenly increased by 820,000 tons, of which the tonnage of warships accounted for a quarter.

...

Of course, these data cannot be compared with the top powers, but Bulgaria is not without advantageous industries, at least it has come to the forefront of the world in car production and aircraft production.

If Ferdinand had a thicker skin, he could have declared Bulgaria the number one air force in the world! Whether it is the performance or quantity of the aircraft, as well as the number of pilots and crew members, it temporarily ranks first in the world!

As for how long this advantage can be maintained, no one can know. Anyway, when the world war breaks out, various military technologies will explode!

However, Ferdinand is still very confident that the development of any technology is inseparable from talents. Since the aircraft has just started, most of the people who promote the development of aircraft technology are hobbyists. Except for Bulgaria, almost all countries have no government funding.

In this context, Ferdinand naturally waved his hoe and poached people all over the world. Without a sufficient reserve of professional and technical personnel, the difficulty of promoting the development of aircraft technology can be imagined!

...

While Ferdinand was celebrating the successful completion of the Three-five Plan, a shocking news came.

Your Majesty, we are in trouble. Since the first half of this year, most of our companies have had a backlog of products. If the economic crisis continues, it may break out! Economic Minister Nicholas Cage said worriedly

What's going on? Is it all industries, or individual industries? Ferdinand asked with concern

Economic Minister Nicholas Cage thought for a while and said: Almost all industries have more or less excess capacity, especially in the light industry, where the backlog of products is even more serious!

Ferdinand was shocked. It stands to reason that we have relocated a large number of Greeks to the Syrian area, and imported a large number of laborers in Russia. Coupled with our rapidly growing population, we should be able to consume a large amount of light industrial products. How can the problem be more serious? Is it light industry?

Ferdinand continued: Have you found the reason? Is the market shrinking, or is our capacity increasing?

Nicolas Cage explained: Your Majesty, the main reason is that our production capacity has increased, and the domestic market has also expanded, but this speed is far less than the speed of our industrial production capacity growth!

In addition, after the domestic situation in Russia has stabilized, their industry has also begun to recover, and they have begun to snatch our market, but this is not the main factor!

More importantly, a large number of German products have recently appeared in the European markets, and the Germans have lowered their prices. It is estimated that their production costs are not enough. These cheap products have robbed us of the European market.

The word dumping suddenly appeared in Ferdinand's mind, and it lingered again. Obviously, the Germans are not having a good time now!

Bulgaria, as a big cottage country, is famous for its cheap products, and its products still have a place in European countries. Now that the prices of German products have also dropped, the impact on Bulgaria's industrial and commercial products is naturally even greater.

Heavy industry is less affected, mainly because Bulgaria's current export products are mainly light industry. In the field of heavy industry, except for a small amount of machinery that can be sold to Russians, most of them are self-produced and sold.

The rest of the products like steel and coal are consumed by themselves. Ships cannot be sold in foreign markets other than the domestic market. Poor countries can't afford it. In countries that can afford it, people can produce them themselves and don't need them at all!

Ferdinand asked cautiously: This kind of situation is only us, or has it happened in other countries?

Nicolas Cage said without hesitation: This time, all European countries should not be spared, and no one can be immune to the Germans' foreign dumping!

Ferdinand sighed slightly, and after hesitating again and again, he said fiercely: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will contact Britain, France, and Russia to raise the tariffs on imported German goods together!

Your Majesty, it is not difficult to raise tariffs on Germans, but this may lead to unforeseen consequences! Foreign Minister Metev said hesitantly.

Dumping by the Germans will definitely damage the interests of capitalists in various countries. It is not difficult to push a restrictive bill, but the consequences of doing so are very serious!

It is obvious that there is a problem with Germany's economy now. If even overseas markets are lost, there is only one way for the German business community to go. Support Wilhelm II to break the current world order!

Knowing is knowing, but the Germans' actions have affected Bulgaria's interests, and Ferdinand has to take action.

In his opinion, the world war is about to break out anyway, and it will break out one day earlier and one day later. This impact is not very big for Bulgaria!

So, now we can prepare for war, the Germans have no choice! Ferdinand said lightly

The world market is so big in total, if you take one more, naturally I can only take one less. With the rise of Bulgaria, naturally also got a share, which happened to be the last straw that broke the camel's back!