Vienna, Schönbrunn Palace.
In fact, according to Franz's plan, the Kingdom of Hungary was to be excluded, reducing resistance.
He hadn't expected the Hungarians to propose it themselves. As it happened, Franz wasn't the only one who thought this way. So did Friedrich List, Austria's newly hired special adviser on joining the Zollverein.
("Joining" refers to becoming a member of the Zollverein.)
Friedrich List let out a long breath and spoke in the tone of an Austrian bureaucrat.
"Thank Heaven for our Emperor. The Hungarians are withdrawing of their own accord, which will make joining much easier."
"Unlike the Hungarians, the aristocrats and merchants of Northern Italy are very interested in joining. Many have said they're willing to give up protective tariffs for the sake of membership. If the Zollverein allows only Cisleithania to join and rejects Northern Italy, it will break their hearts."
The concept of Cisleithania will come up often from here on, so let me explain.
Cisleithania includes the historic Kingdom of Bohemia, the Kingdom of Galicia (that is, the Kingdom of Galicia-Volhynia), the Kingdom of Dalmatia, the Archduchy of Austria (including Upper Austria and Lower Austria), the Duchy of Bukovina, the Duchy of Carinthia, the Duchy of Carniola, the Duchy of Salzburg, the Duchy of Upper Silesia, the Duchy of Lower Silesia, the Duchy of Styria, the Margraviate of Moravia, the County of Tyrol, Vorarlberg, the County of Gorizia, Trieste, the Margraviate of Istria, and other territories along the Adriatic coast.
Friedrich List smiled as he replied.
"Prime Minister, you're a good man. But the tariffs between Cisleithania and Italy should be an internal Austrian matter. As long as the government is determined and has local support, we'll have plenty of room to maneuver. In practice, it makes little difference whether Northern Italy joins the Zollverein or not."
"You're right, Mr. List. I'll send word to Northern Italy at once and tell them to await good news."
Metternich paused, then continued.
"You know, Mr. List. Northern Italy's economy has been in decline for a long time. If we let things continue, the people will inevitably be driven to destitution. At a time like this, if dangerous elements stir up trouble, the people will be especially easy to mislead."
"Indeed. If the people can't even put food on the table, how can we talk of loyalty to the Emperor or the state?" Friedrich List replied.
Prince Metternich shook his head and said softly,
"Northern Italy's agriculture can produce enough to feed itself. The real problem isn't the farmers but the merchants and nobles of Northern Italy. They're always insatiably greedy. They exploit those poor farmers and townspeople for their own gain. But in the end, it won't be they who pay the price. It'll be those poor people."
"Then why should we help them?"
"Helping them now means helping ourselves. If we can't pacify them, we'll have to suppress them, and the Austrian Empire is already stretched to its limits. The Empire was lucky to seize this lifeline of joining the Zollverein, and we have you to thank for it," Metternich replied with some helplessness.
"Mr. Metternich, thank you for trusting me. I may have been born in Württemberg, but I'm also a subject of the Empire. Serving His Majesty the Emperor is the duty of every imperial subject."
Friedrich List's transformation into Austria's most ardent supporter was thanks to the high office and generous rewards Metternich had offered him.
They say power is the best aphrodisiac. Compared with the powerless post of U.S. consul general to Germany, the title of special adviser to the Emperor of the Austrian Empire was clearly far more alluring.
And Austria had a system of granting official posts. Francis II had not asked Friedrich List to resign his position as U.S. consul general to Germany.
In other words, he was now a "double-crowned king."
More importantly, the decadent life of the Austrian court clearly suited Friedrich List better.
The economist had adapted to high society in no time. He worked by day, then spent his evenings at receptions and balls, surrounded by lovely women. He was having the time of his life.
People were strange. Even when they had a heavy workload, if they were doing work they loved and pursuing their dreams, they didn't feel tired.
That was exactly how Friedrich List felt now. Once, to realize his ambitions and establish the Zollverein, he had founded an organization called the German Commercial and Industrial Association.
Back then, List and the Association's members had traveled from state to state, lobbying for a customs union. But their petitions had been met with scorn and reprimands. The Federal Assembly wouldn't even let them use the word "German."
Their reasoning was, "There are no German merchants in this world, only Bavarian, Saxon, Württemberg, and other local merchants."
He had even been slandered as "an extremely dangerous agitator" and forced to leave his homeland for the New World.
Now, in a complete reversal of fortune, he had become an official of the Austrian Empire. The world was full of surprises.
Friedrich List was deeply grateful to Prince Metternich, not only because he had used his power to help List recover his lost property and obtain justice.
More than that, Metternich had given him the chance to fulfill his dream with his own hands.
A Zollverein backed by Austria would be whole, great, and unstoppable.
The Germans would have a homeland of their own at last, and finally be able to protect themselves between the hammer of France and the anvil of Russia.
As for the other peoples of the Austrian Empire, Friedrich List didn't really care about them.
He had seen that in Vienna, this melting pot of peoples, ethnic tensions were nowhere near as severe as he had heard. The cultures and ideas of different peoples mingled together, forming a new culture.
Besides, he firmly believed that as transportation and commerce continued to develop, the peoples within Austria would interact more and more, eventually forming a new nation.
He didn't think language was a problem. The difference between the High German and Northern German he spoke was greater than the gap between Austrian German and Danish.
List once described Prussians speaking German as if they had a hammer in their mouths, while the Swiss spoke German as if they didn't know how to use their tongues at all.
Now he was not only an Austrian official, but also enjoyed the trust of both the Prime Minister and the Emperor.
The Emperor didn't seem to know much about economics, but that didn't matter. What mattered was that the Emperor could give him this platform.
"Mr. List, Countess Summer is hosting a ball tonight. Don't work too late," Metternich kindly reminded him before leaving.
"Of course, Prime Minister."
After Metternich left, Kolowrat walked over to List.
"Mr. List, you know the Empire's revenue has been increasing every year, but under Prime Minister Metternich's leadership, so has its debt. The Empire spends tens of millions of florins each year on maintaining order, yet rebellions continue throughout the Empire and its neighboring regions, growing ever more intense. Do you know why?"
"Count, why would you say such a thing?" Friedrich List asked, somewhat angrily. After all, in a sense, Prince Metternich was his benefactor.
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