Chapter 489: Queen Mary's Resolve
Queen Mary hastily picked up the documents in front of her. Not remembering which point they had just discussed, she glanced helplessly at Joseph beside her.
Seeing her son give a slight nod, she immediately adopted a solemn demeanor and declared, "I approve the proposal. Archbishop Brienne, please prepare the relevant decrees."
Brienne bowed promptly and replied, "Yes, Your Majesty."
Joseph breathed a sigh of relief inwardly. It seemed his salami-slicing tactic had succeeded.
Although the impact on officials in hydraulic engineering and road administration was minimal, once this decree was signed, it would set a precedent for officials to take office via examination.
The definition of "positions requiring higher professional knowledge" left a great deal of room for interpretation.
Did finance require professional knowledge? What about industrial management? Agriculture? Trade? Justice?
In the future, through a process of boiling the frog in warm water, more and more government positions would be brought under the umbrella of "professional examinations," eventually encompassing all positions. This would mark the completion of the most crucial step in Administrative Reform.
By then, specialized training for officials could be handled by institutions like the University of Paris and Toulouse University, with the University of Public Administration solely responsible for examinations.
Most importantly, this process was gradual and wouldn't provoke strong opposition from the existing bureaucratic class.
Of course, there would certainly be those unhappy with this system, as some noble wastrels would no longer be able to secure high-ranking positions solely through their connections. However, they would also recall the grand police review, turning their dissatisfaction into mere grumbling and complaints, nothing more than words.
In reality, even this Civil Service Examination system still offered significant advantages to the nobility.
Firstly, university tuition fees in this era were exceptionally high, far beyond the reach of ordinary families.
Secondly, noble children were more familiar with the examination content of the University of Public Administration – their fathers were among the first to study there. Unlike the internet era where civil service exam questions could be found everywhere, commoners, even if proficient in their specialized subjects, might not necessarily outperform nobles in the Civil Service Examination.
This meant that the nobility had less resistance to the Civil Service Examination, as the aristocratic class still controlled most government positions.
Joseph wouldn't pursue absolute equality, especially since, in the 18th century, the role of the nobility was still irreplaceable.
Brienne then continued, "Next item on the agenda. His Royal Highness, the Crown Prince, proposes establishing an 'Auxiliary Administrative Body' to act as a supplement, capable of immediately taking over management should anything unforeseen happen to the primary administrative departments."
Seeing that the others didn't quite grasp the concept, Joseph explained, "I thought of this issue during the recent corruption case.
"As you know, over forty officials are currently on trial in court, and most are likely to be convicted. The affairs they oversee would face stagnation in a short period, a risk that must be considered.
"Therefore, I believe we can establish an 'Auxiliary Administrative Body,' with positions modeled after existing government departments, but without actual power in normal times.
"Should anything happen to existing officials, appropriate personnel could be drawn from this 'Auxiliary Body' to take over."
Baron Breteuil, the Minister of Justice, immediately frowned. "Your Highness, this would significantly increase official salary expenses. And according to your explanation, these individuals in the 'Auxiliary Body' would be largely idle for most of the time..."
Joseph smiled faintly. "Your concerns are entirely valid. Therefore, the salaries for officials in the 'Auxiliary Body' would be set relatively low. And in normal times, they could also perform duties within their capabilities, such as organizing documents or transcribing records."
"But still..."
Mirabeau observed the Crown Prince's expression, then rose. "Baron Breteuil, do you know how long administrative management was disrupted in various regions due to the imprisonment of so many officials this time? Perhaps over a month.
"The losses incurred during that period would be enough to pay the salaries of all officials nationwide for a good half year.
"I believe His Highness's proposal is excellent. Not only can it stabilize administrative management, but it can also provide the idle nobility with positions where they can contribute to the nation."
Joseph immediately gave him an approving glance. 'Noble contributions to the nation' – Mirabeau certainly had a knack for connecting things.
Joseph simply wanted to create a multitude of 'ceremonial posts' to accommodate those who had paid to buy their offices. After all, they had invested real gold and silver, signed agreements with the government, and it was genuinely difficult to directly dismiss them without them committing serious errors.
So, he devised this 'Auxiliary Administrative Body,' mirroring a historical system where officials were given grand titles but sidelined, losing all real power and merely awaiting retirement.
Once professional examinations for officials gradually became widespread, all those who held sinecures and were only interested in lining their pockets would inevitably be halted by the assessments. They would then, regrettably, have to accumulate 'experience' in an 'auxiliary position.'
As for maintaining an extra layer of bureaucracy, Joseph didn't consider it a waste of money.
On the contrary, replacing those who had purchased their offices with capable individuals who could accomplish real work would provide a positive impetus for the nation, generating benefits far exceeding their meager salaries.
Not to mention, 'auxiliary positions' could at least handle tasks like organizing documents, which would reduce the need to hire several ordinary clerks. All things considered, it wouldn't cost much more.
Upon hearing this, Baron Breteuil merely assumed that the Crown Prince intended to create more official positions to collect greater fees for bought offices. He said no more and quietly took his seat.
This time, Queen Mary didn't zone out. Seeing that none of the ministers objected, she signed the document Brienne presented – administrative adjustments of this modest scale didn't even require the King's signature.
After discussing some routine matters, the cabinet meeting, which seemed ordinary but held profound implications for France, concluded.
Queen Mary watched Brienne's retreating back, remembering a scene from today's meeting, and suddenly called out to stop him.
Brienne turned back and bowed slightly to her. "Your Majesty, do you have any further instructions?"
Queen Mary hesitated. "Archbishop Brienne, do you think that if I were not to attend cabinet meetings, could the Crown Prince effectively lead the ministers in handling state affairs?"
Brienne thought to himself: 'Yes, of course he can. His Royal Highness, the Crown Prince, has long been upholding the greater interests of France. In fact, if you weren't present, the meetings might even be more efficient.'
However, he still feigned extreme astonishment and declared loudly, "You are the soul of France, Your Majesty! If you were not to preside over the cabinet, it would be a disaster for the nation!"
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