Developnt and reform, except for policy aspects, occur entirely in the private sector.
Whether it's technology or developnt, ultimately soone in the private sector achieved it, and it sohow connects to the state.
That's how the great powers have developed until now.
Truly an era of barbaric liberalism.
Freedom to do anything, and responsibility for whatever one does.
Well, while other great powers have grown this way, could Russia do the sa?
"Is it not possible?"
"Roman, how could it be? If it were, Beren, who was a chief adjutant like you, wouldn't be doing military supply work here."
"Hmm, but I heard Beren seems to have found his calling rather late..."
"Though Beren retired, he's not completely civilian, is he?"
This country is basically so large that dostic markets aren't connected to each other, and imports and exports are absolutely conducted under state leadership.
Imports and exports aren't particularly complicated. Remove all the miscellaneous items and there's ultimately one export product. Food.
"Half of the world's rye, 25% of grain, and 20% of wheat are produced within the empire. Even these shares are steadily increasing."
Naturally, agriculture has the largest share in dostic industry, and society, economy, and culture are all aligned with this agriculture.
In this state, leaving the empire's developnt to the 'private sector'?
"We're neither Arica nor England. We're not a country where the private sector takes care of things if we just sit back."
The people of this country are still more accustod to cursing landowners than capitalists.
"That's not to say I'm dismissing agriculture, which is the foundation of our industry. Even now we have high market share, and if it increases further, the day might co when the empire controls world food prices at will. But I'll say again, in the Far East, you can't even cover military expenses if you collect taxes from agriculture."
Then what should be done with this primitive Far East that has nothing but money?
Since there wasn't ti to wait for Roman to carefully co up with an answer, I imdiately gave an example.
"1883. The iji governnt gathered commoners, kazoku (Japanese nobility), the Emperor, banks including Mitsubishi, and established a joint venture called Japan Railway. With cooperation from the military and police, and transfer of telegraph and postal business rights, a national policy company was born with massive vested interests concentrated in it."
What was the situation in Japan at that ti? It was a period when they had to pursue reforms while struggling with poverty and farmland incomparably smaller than present-day Russia.
Following the technology dropped by the great powers, they picked up pieces one by one, and until the 1880s, there remained fear that Japan might fall into becoming a colony.
"Though I don't particularly like Imperial Japan, this part was truly impressive. A national policy company that operates like a private enterprise with state backing. It was truly a tily choice."
This form wasn't limited to railways alone.
If necessary, the state would select private companies and almost forcefully make them participate in national projects, and even in massive construction projects like roads and ports, the Japanese governnt mixed private sector participation in appropriate ratios to create new enterprises.
The governnt sows the seeds, the private sector nurtures them, and the governnt takes the fruits.
The advantage of this thod is that groups with purpose suited for specific situations fit together exactly like cogwheels.
"Your Highness, wouldn't this approach lead to too many competing opinions making managent difficult? State responsibility would increase, inefficiency would grow, and things would beco sluggish. Issues of inco and distribution are problems for all companies."
"Oh? Have you read Pareto's efficiency theory? You've done so studying, I see."
Yes, this is the common conclusion from the minds of the empire's elite who received the best education.
The state is inefficient. State responsibility only increases. The state ultimately cannot take on the role of managent.
However, I declare this thinking is wrong.
What if the state isn't seeking the best but rather the second-best option?
What if it's pursuing public benefit and the interests of the whole group rather than private interests?
Ah, then the story changes.
Even if there's a deficit, that's fine, and even if there's a surplus, they don't get particularly fixated on money.
Though this concept might be very awkward for him, it's very familiar to .
Because a company that pursues public good more than any other company.
In the future, this was called a public corporation.
"Let's take our case as an example. When that Manchurian railway is completed, how should it be operated? Should we select operators by region and allocate sections like Britain? Or should we do it like Arica, taking responsibility from construction to operation?"
"We... shouldn't the Governor-General's Office operate it directly? Though it would need quite a lot of managent, wouldn't that be the best option?"
"The best railway expert I know, Finance Minister Sergei Witte, would say this: Give them massive money and point a gun at their head."
The disadvantage of public corporations. They typically conduct monopolistic businesses and easily stagnate like still water.
So here, I want to look at Japan's case again.
How could the South Manchuria Railway Company, which once handled 25% of the Japanese Empire's revenue as a single company, maintain its size while extending into almost every aspect of Manchuria including not just railways but also ports, oil refining, mining, distribution, manufacturing, publishing, education, healthcare, and agricultural products?
The answer was simpler than expected.
"Delegated managent."
In the long term, having the Governor-General's Office employ tens of thousands, manage them, and furthermore be responsible for the entire industrial infrastructure? Moreover, from a Governor-General's Office mostly filled with military personnel?
Though administrative hiring has increased yearly since Witte beca Finance Minister, they'll probably still suffer from personnel shortages even after 10 years.
"You're a soldier. Not a capitalist or industrialist. Just make sure the gun barrel doesn't shake. Just keep your trigger finger well-placed."
This is the form of public corporation suited to this era.
"Even without explaining it like this to you, there are probably those who already sense it. Beren, who was chief adjutant? He probably knows. That if he isn't selected as the Governor-General's Office's optimal choice, he'll ultimately be discarded."
Nevertheless, Beren said he was happy coming to the Far East. Because his pocket situation beca comfortable enough to erase such anxiety.
"That's about it for theoretical education. Any questions?"
"I've always wondered... How do you know all this, Your Highness?"
Ah, did I get too excited and pretend to know everything?
Roman, whose gaze had moved beyond student admiration to the stage of doubt, opened his eyes halfway suspiciously.
After hesitating briefly with my answer, I called out one na.
"Ah, Bunge. Didn't I learn from Professor Bunge? You know he was driven from the Finance Minister position because of his state-directed policies?"
"Hmm, certainly if it's the empire's top economics professor..."
"So this thod can only be used in the Far East. It's sothing only you can do in the empire, right?"
I forgot briefly, but though my status was high, I'm still just a 27-year-old youth born in '68.
Bunge's na carries more credibility than mine.
Using his na, I instilled confidence in Roman as if this were the predetermined answer.
"This is, you know, a thod that already succeeded in Germany?"
"So it's the best thod when conditions are t."
"Yes, the state view and economic theory that Bismarck proved and Bunge acknowledged! You'll be implenting it with your own hands in the Far East!"
"I see."
Though pushed out of politics, Nikolai Bunge is soone even Witte can't match in scholarship.
"Ah, this thod has already been proven by Bunge, who is an Imperial Doctor of Political Science and mber of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences-"
"According to Chairman Bunge of the Committee of Ministers who oversees the ministers-"
Well, what can I do? I'll just have to use Professor Bunge's na.
Thus, the week passed instantly despite its dense content.
After teaching while staying close every day, the minimum direction I wanted to instill in Roman seed sowhat established.
'If anything's lacking, I can contact him through the communications departnt even if it's late.'
Since this communications departnt itself is the departnt receiving the most budget from the imperial governnt except for that railway project, it was more developed than I expected.
Though long-distance wireless communication hasn't been introduced yet, befitting such a large empire, the obsession with 'speed of delivering news' has long exceeded imagination.
During father's ti, the communications departnt grew for purposes of suppressing rebellions in occupied territories and defending excessively wide borders.
That's also why we received the news of his death as quickly as possible.
Now it's really ti to return.
When I return, I probably won't be able to pay detailed attention to the Far East for a while.
"Roman, I'll trust you and head back. Sigh, just thinking about holding the coronation ceremony is already giving a headache."
"Coronation ceremony? Don't you have other matters before that?"
"Other matters? Did sothing happen in the capital?"
"To beco head of the imperial family, shouldn't you get married first?"
"Ah."
Marriage, co to think of it, after living in military units for the past few years and coming straight to the Far East, it was an aspect I hadn't paid any attention to.
Marriage, really.
This is a serious matter.
Because.
'I don't have anyone to marry.'
How can I talk about marriage when I haven't even dated?
==
After Crown Prince Nikolai left Khabarovsk with a dumbfounded face.
Roman, feeling his shoulders crushed by the massive task given, tried to shake off needless anxiety.
'I can do it. The fate of the Far East lies in my hands.'
The success and confidence that His Highness directly showed would guarantee a brilliant future.
As a servant and soldier, he just needed to follow the orders given.
While reassuring himself with such thoughts, a hand landed firmly on Roman's shoulder.
"Whew, he's finally gone."
"Hm? Admiral Ron, isn't it? Co to think of it, where have you been? I didn't see you even in Vladivostok."
"I just briefly showed my face when he first arrived, then stayed hidden as much as possible."
Stayed hidden? While His Highness is giving his all to develop the Far East, how can a servant so boldly speak of avoiding his duties?
Seeing Roman's contemptuous gaze, Admiral Ron smiled wryly and said.
"Looking at how full of dreams you are, I can tell exactly. Let's see, did His Highness the Crown Prince talk about this Far East like it's a land full of dreams and hopes?"
"..."
"He probably gave you massive freedom and said he'd remove term limits. Support? Oh my, he must have promised plenty of funding. Right?"
"...That's correct."
That was exactly how a sergeant looks at a newly enlisted private. Right now, Ron's eyes and mouth were full of mockery and composure, as if he knew everything.
"You poor fellow. You still don't know your fate. I ca here 3 years ago. Our Highness's instructions were so precise, it seed like everything would work out exactly as he said!"
"You seem to be saying it's not so."
"Tsk, since it's too late for you to run away like , I'll tell you the reality. Saying they'll give lots of money ans there will be lots of expenses. When handling large sums, your hands tremble, but make one mistake? Oh my, you'll be dragged away as a corrupt officer for daring to disobey the imperial order."
Ron's exaggerated gesture showed the illusion of handcuffs being placed on his wrists.
"Is that all? This Far East has no educated talent. The absence of educated people ans you have to do everything. Subordinates resent you, His Highness up there is scary, and you can't even go to another region now. Do you understand why I was hiding around?"
"I'll be diff-"
"Different? Hey, with my military experience and life seniority being 10 years more than yours, how could I not know? Well, you'll understand when you experience it."
With each exchange of words, as Roman's confidence was drastically shaved away, anxiety mixed into his eyes like impurities.
Only then, seeing Roman who had sowhat realized reality, Admiral Ron laughed heartily.
But that was brief.
Turning serious and returning to his sharp military bearing, he extended his hand to Roman who was staring at the ground.
"Welco to hell, comrade."
"Ah..."
Now he realized Admiral Ron wasn't mocking or dismissing him.
He was sincerely pitying Roman.
Watching Roman, stunned by the terror he hadn't yet felt, Ron quietly muttered.
"It's no good if you break down already. You still have a long way to go."
It was truly words that only soone who had experienced hell could say.
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