Chapter 126: A Beautiful Misunderstanding
On December 12, 1848, registration began for the civil service examinations that would have far-reaching consequences for Austria, marking a fundamental shift in how Austria selected talent.
Although this examination was still an internal competition among the nobility, competition was better than none at all.
Here, declining nobles were given a chance to return to the center of power, and the Austrian government once again won their support.
Government agencies, state-owned enterprises, teaching positions, and a whole range of other posts offered nearly 130,000 openings to the public, drawing more than 186,000 applicants.
If this competition ratio had been placed in a later age, many people would likely have celebrated by dusting off their hats, but in this era, plenty still complained that the pressure was too great.
Inside a small tavern in Vienna, a young man of about twenty complained, "Damn it, Raul, do you know what the Ministry of Finance is trying to do? We've already entered the second round without an exam, so why do we still have to take one?"
"Give it a rest, Wigger. Everyone knows we got into the second round without taking an exam. I heard the Ministry of Finance has already received more than eight thousand applications, but it's only hiring 876 people—a one-in-ten passing rate.
"If they want to eliminate the vast majority of applicants, is there any faster way than an examination?
"If you're afraid of competition, you could apply to be a grassroots teacher. There are plenty of openings there, and not many applicants." Raul took a small sip of wine and said with a cheerful smile.
He was not afraid of the examination. He had been an excellent student in school, and compared to his underachieving friend Wigger, he had more than enough