Chapter 386: Bargaining Chips and Investments
Joseph waved a hand with great flourish, saying, "It starts with teaching farmers how to cultivate more efficiently.
"Provide them with livestock, seeds, farming tools, and fertilizers. You can imagine, with the number of farmers across the nation, what an enormous undertaking this will be.
"At the same time, the company can organize artisans to build water conservancy projects for farmers and rent out irrigation machinery. Don't worry about the money; the Agricultural Bank will gather a large number of farmers and sign collective loan agreements with them.
"Once the harvest comes in, the company will purchase surplus grain from the farmers and transport it en masse to more lucrative markets. The sheer volume of transport will significantly drive down costs. Many large cities have already laid wooden tracks, which will make transport even cheaper.
"I call it—the Agricultural Services Consulting Company.
"Compared to collecting the meager annual tribute that farmers grudgingly hand over, a company like this will yield far greater profits!"
The nobles present were clearly astonished by this method of operation and immediately began discussing amongst themselves. Members of the Capitalist Nobility, already strategically placed by Mirabeau within the crowd, promptly acted as explainers, causing the surrounding Old Nobility to nod repeatedly in understanding.
However, someone soon raised a query: "Your Royal Highness, while the company you describe has excellent prospects, the investment required would be enormous, far beyond what we could afford."
"You are absolutely right," Joseph declared loudly. "That's why His Majesty the King has established a 'King's Fund,' in collaboration with the French Agricultural Bank, specifically to invest in Agricultural Services Consulting Companies."
"Regarding cultivation techniques and promotional efforts among farmers, the Church will provide support to all companies."
Archbishop Beaumont, standing nearby, immediately placed a hand over his chest and gestured, declaring, "The Church will cooperate fully."
Joseph continued, "For water conservancy, the King's Fund will sign large-scale purchasing agreements with steam engine companies to acquire equipment such as water pumps and mill drives at the lowest possible prices.
"On the sales front, the Strategic Granary will enter into supply agreements with the King's Fund, and can even pay a portion of the shipping costs in advance.
"I can assure you all, the profits will be several, even more than a dozen, times richer than the meager annual tribute you collect!"
The nobles in front of the Petit Trianon instantly saw their eyes light up – this was definitely a lucrative venture! Previously, their annual tribute could only be collected from tenant farmers, but this Agricultural Services Consulting Company could even earn money from independent farmers.
Furthermore, with the King's Fund and the Church managing the company, they could continue living in Versailles as before, without a care in the world, simply collecting their annual dividends.
Immediately, servants who had been prepared beforehand came forward with stacks of fund subscription applications, distributing them to the nobles present.
Joseph continued, "Aside from reaping substantial dividends, you will no longer have to endure the disdain of those farmers, nor will they curse you as 'vampires' behind your backs. The Liberals will no longer point fingers at your lives, decrying them as 'extravagant' or 'decadent'—your money will all be earned through legitimate business, every sou spent with a clear conscience!"
At this, even more nobles were moved.
While these nobles fiercely clung to their feudal privileges for personal gain, in this era where Enlightenment ideals swept across Europe, they subconsciously felt like 'parasites,' 'historical errors.'
Now that a genuine opportunity arose for their families to continue living in prosperity through "business," they were naturally eager to participate.
As they looked down at the King's Fund subscription application in their hands, they saw that the lowest tier required only 200 Livre, and a sense of relief washed over them. Most of these nobles were not truly wealthy, as maintaining a noble's lifestyle required considerable expense. Many had feared a minimum purchase of several thousand Livre, which they genuinely couldn't afford.
After carefully reviewing the "Agricultural Services Consulting Company Operations Guide" distributed with the application, many nobles immediately wrote down their subscription amounts and affixed their personal seals to the forms.
Joseph watched as people continuously converged toward the fund's staff, a faint smile playing on his lips.
'Who said I had to grant benefits to the nobles to make them accept the land redemption scheme? Not only will I not offer them advantages, but I'll also collect startup capital for agricultural reform right from their hands!'
'As for these agricultural service companies, would they harm the farmers' interests once they grow larger?'
'That's not going to happen. Aside from the fact that most nobles will merely await their dividends and not be involved in company operations—meaning all Agricultural Services Consulting Companies will essentially be royal holdings—even if a noble raises their own capital to establish a company, it would still need to operate within the framework of the King's Fund to function properly.'
'Whether the Church delays your composting or breeding operations for a few weeks, or the Strategic Granary refuses to accept your grain, any private company would instantly fall in line.'
'Even in the worst-case scenario, Joseph could use legislative means to set maximum and minimum purchase prices, thereby guaranteeing the farmers' basic livelihoods.'
Of course, the modest sum invested by these Old Nobility in the King's Fund was nowhere near enough to launch nationwide agricultural reform.
Joseph subtly glanced towards Mirabeau and his associates, and several of the most influential Capitalist Nobles immediately responded with respectful bows.
The bulk of the King's Fund was precisely what nearly a hundred Capitalist Nobles had raised, supplemented by a portion from the Agricultural Bank. Even without the Old Nobility's subscriptions, there would have been no funding shortfall.
A noble beside Mirabeau turned his head, his face beaming, and whispered, "Honoré, how large an estate do you plan to acquire this time? A thousand hectares?"
"Haha, not that much," Mirabeau said, waving a hand with a smile. "And you, my dear Francis?"
"Around a thousand hectares. The money I have on hand is only enough for that much. I heard that Viscount Drasco plans to buy five thousand hectares; he even mortgaged his tannery for it."
"That's quite a grand gesture," Mirabeau nodded. "However, investing in estates right now is shrewd. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince's agricultural reforms are about to begin, and this sector has vast prospects."
This was the reason the Capitalist Nobility was willing to invest so heavily in the King's Fund.
In Joseph's land redemption scheme, the provision stating that purchasing more than 16.5 acres per person would incur high handling fees and require an upfront payment of half the total cost was, in fact, the greatest advantage for the capitalist groups.
The exorbitant fees essentially dampened the enthusiasm of commoners for acquiring large tracts of land through loans. The Old Nobility, having lost their feudal rent, also dared not invest large sums indiscriminately. Only the Capitalist Nobility remained capable of acquiring estates of hundreds of hectares.
Joseph understood clearly that, in the unique era of the late 18th century, large-scale land consolidation was beneficial for industrial development.
And this could serve precisely as a bargaining chip, exchanged for the enthusiastic investment of the Capitalist Nobility.
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