"Don't panic when you face a deep ravine, and don't back down. If you don't jump, how will you know you're an eagle?"
(The Eastern version: If you don't jump, how will you know whether a divine technique or a hidden treasure is waiting for you at the bottom of the cliff?)
In truth, the Austrian Empire was still an untapped ocean of opportunity. If you had the ability, were willing to work hard, or even just had a streak of ruthlessness, you could make a name for yourself—as long as you didn't run afoul of Franz.
The main reason was that Austria was flush with money. The other states couldn't compete with its financial resources, which was why they resorted to slandering and denouncing it.
But in reality, Franz's methods and Austria's generous policies were more likely to attract so-called elites. For ordinary people, their beliefs and values mattered more.
So despite the repeated surges in the number of German immigrants Austria had attracted over the years, the overall scale remained modest.
Back to the main topic.
Friedrich List patiently listened to William IV's complaints and curses. In truth, he understood why those people had made that choice.
If you judged by prosperity alone, Berlin couldn't hold a candle to Vienna—not even to the outskirts of Prague.
If he could choose again, perhaps he wouldn't have left Austria and fled to the United States. In truth, Austria's development over the years had far surpassed his expectations.
Note: Prague was the capital of Bohemia and, at this time, the Austrian Empire's most important transportation, trade, and industrial center in the north. It had reaped the benefits brought by the Zollverein, while also being the place most deeply affected by nationalism.
As a fervent nationalist, Friedrich List believed Austria was the