Chapter 129: Cruel Society
No matter how eloquently Karl dressed it up, he could not change the essence of it: in order to accelerate industrial development, they were preparing to sacrifice agriculture.
The primitive accumulation of capital was bloody. While expanding markets abroad, there would inevitably be exploitation at home as well.
This was decreed by the times. As someone aspiring to become an emperor remembered for all ages, Franz was destined to have an ugly way of eating. On the surface, however, the Austrian Government had never exploited the peasants.
An agricultural tax of merely 5% was practically the lowest on the European Continent in this era.
In reality, alongside the agricultural tax, there was also a 10% tithe, levied in the name of the Church.
It could not be any higher. The Austrian Government was dominated by the noble class, so its policies had to lean toward the ruling class. Getting them to pay taxes at all was already no easy feat.
However, most ordinary people also had to pay a land redemption fee. That was their greatest burden, yet it was one they had voluntarily taken on.
The Austrian Government had not forced peasants to redeem land; it was entirely voluntary. The rent on government-held land was only 30%, and after taxes were deducted, it was merely 15%. There was absolutely no intention of carrying out wholesale exploitation and oppression.
If they wished to redeem the land, they had to pay a redemption fee equal to 20% of the land's income for forty consecutive years, or compensate it with a lump-sum cash payment.
If the government had forced peasants to pay the land redemption fee and bear such a huge burden, they would surely have been deeply resentful, and many would have objected.
But when they were