War Palace and Knee Pillow, Austria’s Destiny

Chapter 9 Friedrich List

Germany's Article 38 tariffs have paralyzed domestic traffic. They are tantamount to tying a person's hands and feet to prevent blood from flowing. Only by abolishing internal tariffs and establishing a unified tax system for the entire federation can national trade and nationality be restored. Industry also benefits the working class.

—Friedrich List

Friedrich List, the father of the German Zollverein and the challenger of Adam Smith, author of The Wealth of Nations, his life is legendary. (The full name is always used here to distinguish it from the musician Liszt who follows.)

On August 6, 1789, Friedrich List was baptized in Reutlingen.

(Baptism is usually performed on the day the baby is born)

Friedrich List was born into a family of craftsmen. His father was a famous cobbler. During his student days, he also worked part-time as a leatherworker's apprentice, helping his father work.

But soon he showed amazing talent and passed the financial officer examination of the Württemberg royal family and became a government clerk.

After working in the government for several years, he was sent to university because of his work ability and became a professor.

No one would have thought that this was just the beginning of his cheating life. Afterwards, Friedrich List left the university and became the president of the Württemberg Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

After this he became a Member of Parliament for Württemberg, when he had just turned thirty.

He then left Württemberg and traveled to the New World (America). In the United States, he built farms, opened newspapers, and opened a railroad company. Finally, he used the money he earned to buy a mine, and he also wrote "An Outline of American Political Economy" in his spare time.

Later, he was even appointed as the U.S. Consul General to the German Confederation by the seventh president of the United States, Andrew Jackson.

In 1832 he returned to Württemberg and began to outline a railway network covering all of Germany.

However, his national railway system plan failed due to feudal separatism and the narrow profit-seeking nature of the bourgeoisie.

In the end, only a 115-kilometer-long castrated version of the railway was obtained, from Leipzig to Dresden.

Friedrich cooperated with others to open a joint-stock company in order to build a railway, but the shares that should have belonged to him were assured to him that "Leipzig people" are different from "Americans", and the Germans do not lie to the two Germans. My friend cheated me.

The two swindlers convinced Friedrich List that all that was left was just a formality, so he did not sign the contract.

By the time Friedrich List realized that he had been cheated, the other party had successfully cashed out and disappeared without a trace.

In the end, this investment not only did not bring him any income, but caused him to lose 10,000 thalers.

The somewhat destitute Friedrich List had to stay in a cheap family hotel.

He dragged his exhausted body back to his room, only to find that the door was ajar.

He immediately rushed into the room, where an old gentleman was leisurely drinking tea in his room. The attendant standing next to him was quite handsome and burly, and he could tell at a glance that he was a servant of a powerful person.

The old gentleman put down his tea cup and spoke first.

"Mr. Lister, please sit down."

Friedrich List took off his hat, bowed deeply, and said, "Sir, this is my room."

"It's mine now." The old gentleman smiled and took out a piece of paper and motioned to the attendant to show it to Friedrich List.

Friedrich List took a look and saw that it was a land deed.

"Then can I take my things?" Friedrich List pointed to the cabinet beside him.

"Mr. Lister, please don't worry. I'm here to give you a gift."

"Are you Santa Claus?" Friedrich List asked.

"If you wish, yes. Let us get to the point. My name is Berg Turner, and I am Master Metternich's butler. I have two things to do today. The first is to give gifts and return your losses. You, and I also brought two friends.”

Berg clapped his hands, and two burly men walked in carrying two sacks, and then threw the sacks heavily on the ground, making a dull sound.

Then the sack was opened, and it was revealed that they were the two liars who made Friedrich List hate him.

Friedrich List immediately stepped forward and kicked them twice. At this time, the two crooks had their hands and feet tied, and rags were stuffed in their mouths. They could only make two muffled groans.

"Are they the Austrian secret police?" asked Friedrich List.

"No, they are just enthusiastic citizens who happened to pass by." Berg replied slowly, and then said, "Mr. Lister, are you satisfied with this gift?"

"Satisfied, let's talk about the second thing." Liszt is a sensible person, so he naturally knows that the other party will not show courtesy for nothing.

"My master wants to meet you. He thinks you are very talented and should serve His Majesty the Emperor."

"What if I say I won't go?" Liszt asked tentatively, and then pointed at the two big men next to him, "Will they put me in a sack?"

"No, Mr. Lister. My husband is a civilized man, but I am not. No matter if I say you are a X or a dangerous person, as long as you have my face, it is enough." Berg stood up and spoke. He straightened his clothes.

"You convinced me, Mr. Berg."

Vienna, Hall of Mirrors.

Francis II was on the throne, and the ministers and dignitaries below all had their own thoughts, but they seemed to be performing their duties in an orderly manner.

Franz II said proudly, "My child, look. The most important temperament of an emperor is that you must first have the aura of a king, and then you can make them bow their heads."

It was obvious that the old emperor had drifted away. But Franz still pretended to admire him and said in a child's tone, "Grandpa, why do the French oppose Austria's joining the German Customs Union?"

"The French are all bad guys. They are afraid of us. We in Austria are the chairman of the German Confederation and should protect the interests of the German states, so we must join the German Customs Union." Franz II wanted to educate his grandson, but he accidentally Got around for myself.

Franz saw the old emperor digging a hole for himself, so he pushed again.

"Grandpa, Grandpa, those who have the same views as the French are all bad people, aren't they?"

"." Franz II was silent.

Metternich almost spit out a mouthful of old blood. This was really Austria's savior. Unexpectedly, the clearest person in the entire royal family is actually a child.

It's just that the dignitaries in the Hall of Mirrors don't have a good expression, especially Prince Windigoretz. He feels that the old emperor is looking at him, and his gaze can kill him.

He quickly made an excuse and left the Hall of Mirrors as if running away.

Other dignitaries saw the two bosses, one was exiled to Hungary and the other escaped. Their confidence also collapsed, so the tree fell and the hozen dispersed.

Looking at the crowds frantically fleeing the Hall of Mirrors, Franz II fell into deep thought. Why didn't he find out in the past that what he trusted was a group of treacherous villains?

Count Korolaf thinks this is good. It seems that the workload can be reduced a lot.

Count Latour continued his work. He felt that those guys would not give up so easily and must guard against it.

Of course, this also has something to do with Count Latour's personal character. After all, he is a soldier, and if he makes a mistake, his life will be lost.

Now Metternich, Korolaf and Brooke were all thinking about the same thing, whether to bring Archduke Franz with them to the next political meeting.