Tuileries Palace, second floor.
Joseph watched Brian's figure disappear and then looked at the annual financial report on the table, shaking his head with a sigh.
Although France's industry and agriculture had both achieved vigorous developnt, the pace of France's debt growth had sharply increased again after a brief decline at the beginning of the previous year.
Last year's total fiscal revenue was 580 million francs, increasing by as much as 70 million francs from the previous year.
But at the sa ti, expenditures also surged to 540 million, plus the nearly 100 million francs in annual fixed national debt interest paynts, resulting in a deficit of over 60 million!
By the beginning of this year, France's total debt had reached a new historical high of 2.25 billion francs.
Of course, compared to the nearly 3 billion francs of debt France had in 1790, the situation had improved a lot. Moreover, last year's debt growth was mainly due to massive investnts in North Africa, Luxembourg, and the Walloon Region of the Southern Netherlands, particularly infrastructure construction, which not only cost a lot of money but also showed no returns in the short term.
In addition, the wars conducted in North Africa, the Southern Netherlands, and Silesia were major drains on funds. According to the financial data submitted by Brian, last year's military expenditures exceeded 43 million francs!
That was with Austria bearing a large part of the expenses for the latter two conflicts; otherwise, the figure would have been even more frightening.
Furthermore, under last year's grain shortage, the national strategic grain reserves were heavily depleted and needed significant investnt to replenish them. After all, up until 1795, the climate situation in Europe was quite unstable, and although there was no famine as severe as the one following last year's hailstorm, minor underproduction was a common occurrence, which necessitated precautions.
This cost nearly 10 million francs to buy grains.
All in all, had there been no war and grain hoarding, it would have been possible to achieve the long-awaited fiscal balance.
However, Joseph couldn't relax at all.
Because he was well aware that many of his previous reforms were based on eroding noble interests. Especially those of the Old Nobility, who had almost been completely stripped of their control over the national economy, their various privileges, and their feudal taxes.
The reason why France's society hadn't experienced significant turmoil was that he had stabilized the nobles with the profits from the "Industrial Developnt Fund" and the "Royal Fund."
Once the earnings from these funds were insufficient, it would lead to dissatisfaction among the Old Nobility, and the accumulated resentnts towards the Royal Family could erupt all at once. As for the outco, while it might not be as disastrous as Austria's aborted reforms - since a Capitalist Noble Group had already ford to so extent - a stagnation, or even a few years of regression, in national developnt was entirely possible.
The profitability of the Industrial Developnt Fund was particularly crucial.
According to Joseph's plan, leveraging the dividends of the Industrial Revolution, the return on investnt in industry should have been over 30%, and once industrialization showed initial success, this figure could even reach 200%!
Historically, England had used this windfall to take off, achieving the heights of The British Empire.
With such financial returns, it was entirely feasible to integrate the Old Nobility into the national industrial movent, transitioning from Land Aristocracy to Capitalist Nobility.
However, the current rate of industrial profit in France was less than 10%, which was only achieved through a great deal of "black technology" that Joseph had introduced.
After all, France's social system was still that of the feudal era, and everything from the tax system to administrative managent seriously hindered industrial developnt.
Joseph couldn't help shaking his head with a wry smile, "In fact, a thorough revolution would be the simplest and most effective solution."
The British had done just that with the Glorious Revolution, creating a complete set of political and economic models suited for industrial developnt.
Take the tax system reform that was currently giving him the most headaches, for instance. Historically, France had simply eliminated all Tax Farrs, nationalizing the tax revenues they collected in a simple and brute-force solution. Indeed, this had been the handiwork of the Jacobins.
And yet, Joseph had to achieve the sa thing while maintaining national stability, which was exponentially more difficult.
To abolish the system of Tax Farrs, there were two key difficulties — money and people.
In terms of money, it would be ideal if the Tax Farrs could loan the governnt the original tax they were responsible for collecting, charging so interest. This way, the governnt could gradually repay this debt with the future tax revenue.
Of course, Joseph knew that the Tax Farrs were most likely not going to agree to lend money, since their "cake" was being touched, why would they want to cooperate?
First, a large sum of money needed to be secured to support fiscal expenditures. At least 200 million francs was likely necessary.
Then ca the issue of people. Tax officers were prone to corruption, an issue that Louis XIV faced, which led him to adopt the Tax Farr system.
Joseph took out the tax reform plan he had drafted from a drawer and began to carefully revise it.
Eman knocked gently on the door from outside, reporting, "Your Highness, Mr. Robespierre has arrived."
Joseph imdiately smiled, "Let him in, please."
The door opened and the slightly plump, blond young man followed Eman in, glancing nervously at Joseph and imdiately bowing with his hand on his chest, "I am deeply honored to be summoned by Your Highness, the crown prince."
Joseph rose from his seat and gestured towards the sofa, "I am also very pleased to see you, please take a seat."
After resolving the inheritance lawsuit in Chartres last ti, Robespierre had ultimately not taken up the position at the Official Investigation Bureau; instead, leveraging the influence of the case, he had beco an intern prosecutor at the Paris High Court.
Robespierre, looking visibly flustered, sat down and hurriedly asked, "Your Highness, may I know why you have summoned ?"
Joseph imdiately cleared his throat and spoke in a very serious tone, "Mr. Robespierre, are you willing to fight for France, for His Majesty the King, for all the people with utter disregard for everything, even if faced with great danger?"
He had prepared a few opening remarks and in the end felt that this most dramatic one suited Robespierre the best.
Sure enough, the latter imdiately stood up excitedly, nodding vigorously, "Yes, Your Highness, I am willing to dedicate my life for France!"
"Very good," Joseph continued, "You are the most noble and incorruptible person I know, which is why only you can fulfill this heavy responsibility."
Robespierre, not expecting such high praise from the crown prince, felt his head spin and imdiately answered without hesitation, "Just give your command, Your Highness, I will not disappoint you!"
Joseph maintained a somber expression, "I hope you can take on the role of Inspector in the newly established National Tax Bureau."
Joseph knew, if there was one incorruptible official in France, it had to be Robespierre.
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