Chapter 1218: Make All of Europe Tremble!
The Donbas region held Russia's largest current output of coal and iron ore, as well as its biggest ironworks. These were all investments made by the French Viscount Olivier, with shares also held by the French Industrial Development Fund.
After years of development, this region provided nearly two-thirds of Russia's steel consumption.
Joseph hadn't forgotten about this place.
Now that Russia intended to be France's enemy, it had to be prepared to suffer losses.
He had promised Viscount Olivier adequate compensation, and the latter would certainly cooperate.
In fact, this was also to prevent Alexander I from outright seizing the ironworks if the war intensified and he decided to disregard their prior agreements.
Of course, Viscount Olivier had operated in Russia for so long that he undoubtedly had numerous connections, so nothing untoward would happen in the short term.
Under full steam, the Mica reached the Port of Marseille by the afternoon of the following day.
After transferring to an inland navigation vessel, Joseph pulled out the extensively revised draft of the bill and began reviewing it once more.
He opened the wooden folder and saw "Declaration of the Rights of Man" emblazoned on the first page of the document.
Yes, this was the "Killer Mace" Joseph had prepared to counter the Anti-French Coalition. As early as when France was still preparing for war, he had instructed Baron Breteuil to begin drafting this decree, which had been fully completed several months prior.
Historically, France, despite being in an extremely difficult state after the devastation of the Great Revolution, had been able to instantly conscript hundreds of thousands of troops, inspired by this very declaration.
At that time, the soldiers, who largely fought without pay, maintained astonishing morale and defeated the besieging European powers one by one.
With France's current industrial and agricultural production capacity, combined with the "passion for equality and human rights," it was enough to make all of Europe tremble!
Previously, Joseph's control over the French government hadn't been strong enough, and he worried that the Declaration of the Rights of Man would provoke the nobility, so he had remained cautious.
Now, his prestige within the country was sufficient to suppress any dissenting voices.
Furthermore, after the reforms that abolished noble privileges and the continuous development of industrialization, the influence of France's Old Nobility on the state had significantly diminished. This gave him the confidence to go all out.
Joseph understood clearly that in an era where Enlightenment thought was already widely accepted, equality, liberty, and human rights were an irresistible trend.
Rather than being forced to accept these under the tide of history, it was better to lead the way and guide the currents of the era.
Moreover, by implementing reforms from the top down, he could retain the initiative and minimize the impact on national order.
At the same time, being the first to issue the Declaration of the Rights of Man would allow France to become a symbol of freedom and equality for all of Europe.
The gains in soft power from this would be even greater than the might of several army groups!
Days later.
In the tea room of the Petit Trianon, Queen Marie's hands were clasped together somewhat anxiously, her gaze shifting from her son to the decree before her, asking for the third time, "My dear, are you sure... this isn't a problem?"
She, too, had been immersed in Enlightenment ideas for a long time, but at this moment, the clauses in the decree seemed utterly foreign to her—
'I. Natural Rights. Human rights are innate and inalienable. All people are born and remain free and equal. Liberty, property, and security are "inalienable rights of man." '
'II. On the Rule of Law. Law is the expression of the general will, and all citizens are equal before it. No act is a crime without an explicit law forbidding it; crimes and punishments must be prescribed by law, laws cannot be retroactive, and every person is presumed innocent until proven guilty; arbitrary arrest is prohibited.'
'III. On Property Rights. Private property is sacred and inviolable. No one's property may be taken unless it is clearly required by legally determined public necessity, and only on condition of a just and prior indemnity.'
'IV. On Freedom of Expression. The free communication of thoughts and opinions is one of the rights of man. All citizens may speak, write, and publish freely, but must take responsibility for abuses of this freedom as defined by law.'
'V...'
Joseph nodded earnestly. "Please trust me, this is a decree that everyone is eagerly anticipating. It is also the foundation for France to become even stronger."
Queen Marie exchanged glances with her husband, who sat beside her, still uneasy. "Won't this... provoke opposition from the nobility?"
Louis XVI chimed in, "And it might weaken the monarchy's rule..."
Joseph nodded. "It will reduce some royal prerogatives, but the impact won't be significant.
"The King still holds the final say in legislation, and the law is the cornerstone of the entire nation.
"In reality, any 'freedom and equality' must ultimately 'not violate the law.'
"You see, even now, if you were to act against the law, you would still face strong opposition from nobles to commoners, and it would ultimately be impossible to implement.
"Now, we are simply putting these rules for the nation's operation into clear written articles.
"And this clear 'certainty' will significantly boost the confidence and enthusiasm of all citizens."
In truth, every system of government possessed a certain degree of freedom and equality, and none had absolute freedom or equality.
For example, in a monarchical society, nobles enjoyed certain freedoms, and when there was a need to conscript an army, commoners would also be granted equality.
Even with a parliamentary system, deputies and commoners were often not equal for most of the time.
Of course, this version of the Declaration of the Rights of Man that Joseph held did not include the section on "separation of powers." Implementing a parliamentary model immediately would only lead to social chaos.
He planned to gradually initiate parliamentary elections and establish a Dual Monarchy once the concept of human rights became more widespread.
Yes, this was the political model he believed best suited France at present.
With him, the "overpowered" monarch, guiding France's overall direction, the current cabinet would transition into an "upper house" format, continuing to manage daily governmental affairs.
The lower house, meanwhile, could improve administrative efficiency, ensure the government focused more on actual societal problems, and significantly boost public trust in the government.
Louis XVI and his wife exchanged glances again. Though they both felt uncertain, their son's outstanding performance in governance over the years led them to trust his decision.
Queen Marie was the first to nod. "My dear, if you believe this is right, then do it. God will bless you."
"Exactly," Louis XVI added. "We will always stand behind you."
The next day, all French cabinet members and the most influential nobles of Paris gathered in the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles, summoned by the Crown Prince. Each received a copy of the Declaration of the Rights of Man.
Simultaneously, over a thousand grenadiers from the Crown Prince's personal guard stood in immaculate formation in the Marble Courtyard.
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