Holy Roman Empire Chapter 71 - Reforms Made in Secret

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        Croatia         After Kossuth declared Hungarian independence, many Croatian nobles hesitated between joining the Hungarian Republic or remaining in the Austrian Empire.         However, reality soon forced them to make a decision. The Hungarian provisional government excluded the Croats from the scope of power, provoking dissatisfaction among the local nobility.         Most of the land in the region of Croatia was controlled by Hungarian magnates who looked down on the Croatian bumpkins. This created a division between the local minor nobility and the Hungarian nobility.         This provided an opportunity for the Austrian government. Franz was the first to show goodwill to the local minor nobility, promising them a place in the future Austrian government.         Specifically, it involved the establishment of an Austrian National Union, which would exercise the rights of the parliament. Within this union, 2 to 5 seats would be reserved for representatives of the Croatian people.         The exact number will vary according to how well they perform. Either way, this transitional institution of national integration will function as one of the highest governing bodies of the Austrian Empire for the foreseeable future.         To gain political influence, they would have to participate. In theory, each percentage point of the total population would occupy one representative seat.         Croats were still less than 3% of the total Austrian population. If they could get 5 representative seats, their political influence would greatly increase.         After he had won over the upper classes of Croatia, Franz did not give up on winning over the lower classes as well. Those who would really fight and die for him were still the ordinary people of the lower classes.         After Hungary’s independence, the Austrian government authorized Governor Josip Jelačić to confiscate the lands of Hungarian nobles and emancipate serfs.         The number of people supporting the Austrian government immediately became the majority. By May, Governor Josip Jelačić already had 80,000 Croatian volunteer soldiers.         On May 1, Franz issued a decree granting land for military achievements. Since the common people had helped the government put down the rebellion, they could receive land. Loyal Imperial soldiers, of course, were no exception.         At present, the Austrian government has confiscated a considerable amount of land, and there is still a large amount of land in the Kingdom of Hungary waiting to be confiscated. The Austrian Empire also has plenty of land available for development. Allocating some of it to the soldiers should not be a major problem.         Of course, to limit land annexation, this land grant decree had restrictions — the maximum land grant could not exceed 50 hectares.         For ordinary people, 50 hectares was already a huge number, especially for serfs who had just won their freedom and had no land. It was enough for them to fight for the emperor.         After the decree was issued granting land for military achievements, people flocked to enlist in the army. For the vast majority of people, the cost of redeeming land was too high; they might as well go to the battlefield for a chance.         The sky had just begun to light up, but the recruitment point in Morkes had already gathered a considerable number of people.         “Madić, you’ve also come to enlist?”         “Yes, Glořič. After careful thinking, I still feel that a man’s place is on the battlefield!” Madić answered seriously.         “But Madić, didn’t you say last time that you wanted to become a great blacksmith?” Glořič asked in confusion.         The winds of the Industrial Revolution had not yet reached Croatia. Ordinary tools still depended on manual forging. For commoners, blacksmithing was a decent job.         “No, I’ve changed my mind now. I can always go be a blacksmith later. Right now I want to go to the battlefield and become a great knight!” Madić answered earnestly.         Everyone wanted to become nobility, and knighthood was the lowest rank of nobility. For commoners, it was the highest aspiration in life.         Before the revolutions of 1848, throughout the European world, the sons of nobles were nobles, the sons of merchants were merchants, the sons of doctors were doctors, and the sons of serfs were still serfs.         In an ancient country like Austria, there were already many nobles. These people occupied the entire upper strata of society. The lower classes had no other avenues for advancement.         For many ambitious people, this Hungarian uprising was seen as an opportunity, a chance to break through class restrictions.         Like most young people, Madić was ambitious. He did not want to be a blacksmith like his father for the rest of his life. Previously there was no opportunity, so he had no choice but to face reality.         ……         The wave of enlistment that occurred in Croatia was only a small episode. These troops were only local forces and were not part of the Austrian army organization.         In other words, these troops do not require direct funding from the central government, and their primary role is not combat but rather logistical support and transportation.         Governor Josip Jelačić apparently did not explain clearly or deliberately did not explain clearly, that the central government controlling so much land in its hands was not in line with bourgeois economic development.         To cultivate a domestic market, the serfs, who made up the largest part of the population, naturally had to have money in hand, and land was the main source of income for them.         Austria had not carried out a thorough land revolution, and the nobility still held a large amount of land. Therefore, Franz could not distribute the land for free.         In that case, the land can only be distributed to subjects who are loyal to the emperor. The criterion for this judgment is very simple. Those who are willing to fight for the emperor are naturally loyal subjects.         As long as they go to the battlefield, even if they do not gain achievements, they will have made sacrifices. At that time, with the emperor’s grace, the land they would have to buy could be turned into rewards given directly to them.         The specific criteria are still being developed. Once these people receive land, they will quickly be able to escape extreme poverty and have money in their hands. With money in hand, they will naturally engage in consumption, and with consumption, a market will emerge.         After the market prospers, industrial development will surely follow. With industrial growth, the government can generate more tax revenue, and the initial investment cost will gradually be recouped. This creates a virtuous economic cycle.         The war to suppress the rebellion has now become a tool for Franz to reform Austrian society. Under the guise of war, Austria’s social system is being reshaped without the people noticing.         Croatia was only a microcosm of the social changes taking place in Austria. In Slovenia, Transylvania, Bohemia, and other regions, the same scene was unfolding.         It could be said that when the Hungarian rebellion broke out, the greatest losses were suffered by the Hungarian nobility. Franz sold them out without a second thought.         A man’s wealth is his own ruin by causing other’s greed.         Whether they participated in the rebellion or not, owning large amounts of land was the original sin. The crucial point is that they were exploiting their positions in Austria and the Hungarian Republic for personal gain.         Greed leads one to fall into the abyss. They wanted to obtain even greater benefits, so now Franz decisively took action, redistributing their land first.         Even if it was proven afterward they had no relation to the rebellion, the land could not be taken back. At most, the government would compensate them with some land redemption fees.

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