The Indian Natives Strike Back
Joseph began to carefully examine the land purchase proposal submitted by Brienne.
The document begins by stating that the public land illegally occupied by the Nobility must be returned without compensation.
Joseph nodded slightly. This version was at least an improvement over the previous one.
Land ownership in France during the feudal era was extremely chaotic; almost no one could absolutely own a piece of land. A large amount of feudal land was jointly owned by the King, Nobility, the Church, and local governments, or rather, it didn't belong to any one of them.
Furthermore, the ownership, use, and profits of land usually belonged to different people. Feudal lords were not actually the landowners, but they had the power to collect taxes and appoint farmers. Of course, the King also had some of the power to collect taxes.
Much of this land was designated as public land, such as forests, ponds, and wastelands, typically comprising half of a village's total land area. According to regulations, farmers could cut grass, gather firewood, and graze livestock on these public lands, while Nobility could hunt there.
However, over the centuries, Nobility, relying on their power, seized these public lands, turning them into their own hunting grounds, summer retreats, fishponds, or reclaiming wasteland for Farmland, and levying taxes on these illegally occupied lands.
In the first two versions of the land scheme, the public land owned by Nobility was converted into a proportional value and allowed peasants to redeem it. The reason given was that the Nobility had also incurred considerable costs in "developing" these lands.
The latest version of the plan finally forced the Nobility to return public land.
However, Joseph knew that things were not that simple.
The amount of public land seized by Nobility was enormous, and some less wealthy Nobility even depended on these lands for their livelihood. It was not something that could be solved simply by saying "abolishing" the land.
The King can issue a decree to reclaim public land, but a large number of desperate Nobility may also gather together and wreak havoc on the country. And the Nobility are precisely the most influential group in feudal society.
Joseph continued reading the documents in his hand:
Annual Tribute, Tithe, and other rents and taxes will no longer require redemption. Annual Tribute Farmer can pay 25 times the annual output value of the land, while other types of tenant farmers can pay 30 times the annual output value of the land, all in a lump sum. At the same time, the transfer fee for such redeemed land is 5 times that of a normal transaction. In addition, farmers must first pay all outstanding Annual Tribute and other rents and taxes before they can redeem their land.
The document also included an estimated total amount for land buyouts across France —between 3.8 and 4 billion Livre.
Joseph almost laughed out of anger.
This thing is obviously made by Mirabeau's group.
The Annual Tribute and the Tithes were abolished; this was intended to annoy the Old Nobles, since these Emerging Nobles hardly relied on these feudal taxes for their livelihood.
Paying a one-time redemption fee of 25 to 30 times the annual output value of the land is simply unaffordable for ordinary tenant farmers. Just look at the total amount of 4 billion Livre; if France farmers could come up with that much money, there would be no need for land reform—everyone is so wealthy, who cares about land ownership?
Needless to say, the redemption costs billions of euros; in reality, more than half of the France farmers couldn't even afford to pay their overdue taxes. In other words, they weren't even eligible to participate in the redemption.
This buyout plan is clearly designed for the Capitalist Aristocrat to acquire and speculate on land. Only they can afford such expensive land.
After buying the land, they can manipulate land prices and resell it for huge profits. Meanwhile, the farmers still have to rent their land, only now they are exploited by capitalists instead of paying feudal rents.
Joseph could imagine how disappointed the peasants would be with the Royal House after the initial excitement of escaping the shackles of feudal taxes, only to fall into another form of heavy exploitation.
Yes, the farmers will only blame these problems on the Royal House. After all, you're the "big boss," the biggest target, and the easiest to be watched. And then, perhaps belatedly, your Great Revolution will arrive as promised...
Joseph couldn't help but rub his temples.
Although this version of the land redemption scheme is an improvement over the previous one—which required farmers to redeem 30 years of feudal rents in order to purchase land—it will still severely exacerbate social contradictions in France.
Historically, the Feillant and Girondins collapsed quickly because their Land Redemption Policy were opposed nationwide.
To be honest, Joseph really wants to stage a Great Revolution and wipe out the Noble Class —that way he can simply copy the Jacobin ' actions in history.
However, if one were to engage in Great Revolution scheme, their own entire family would be in grave danger...
How can we stabilize the Nobility class while minimizing the pressure on lower-class peasants to redeem their land, and at the same time appease the attitudes of the capitalist class?
He rubbed his hair in frustration and picked up his pen to revise the land purchase plan.
Feudal taxes still required partial redemption, and the handling of public land was completely unacceptable. This was to protect the livelihoods of some Old Nobles.
A redemption amount of 25 to 30 times the annual output value of the land is certainly unreasonable, and a lump-sum payment is unacceptable. Loans from banks to farmers could be considered. The total redemption cost nationwide should not exceed 1.5 billion Livre.
A minimum guaranteed land area per capita will be set. Before the land reaches the minimum guaranteed area, farmers can redeem it at the most favorable price, and for any excess, the price will be gradually increased.
Furthermore, the longer the cultivation period, the higher the yield per acre, and the cheaper it is to buy back the land...
Joseph finished writing, but he still wasn't quite satisfied. So he sent the revised document back to Brienne, hoping the clever people of the time could come up with another solution.
Joseph didn't expect that this "crack" in the policy of redeeming land would soon be spotted by another group of people.
London.
The Marquess Wellesley, the United Kingdom Minister of Foreign Affairs, emerged Hall Parliament with a dark expression, got into his Carriage, and drove straight to 10 Downing Street.
"How are things?" Prime Minister Pitt the Younger., who had clearly been waiting for him, personally opened his office door to welcome him in. "You don't look too well."
"The situation in India is probably far worse than we imagined." The Marquess Wellesley hung his hat on the rack beside him, turned and closed the door, and said in a deep voice, "Just now, during my questioning in Parliament, the Whig Party said that Mysore's army launched a surprise attack on Kannur, and more than 200 East India Company men were captured, and several ships were lost."
Pitt the Younger.'s expression immediately changed. He first cursed the intelligence system in his mind—such a big thing, and he didn't even know about it as early as the opposition party! Then he looked at the Minister of Foreign Affairs: "What exactly are those India natives trying to do?!"