I Became A Black Merchant In Another World-Chapter 288: Comparison and Incitement (2)

"A ruler who gains the people's favor will never fall."

This was proven by a Japanese daimyo named Oda Ujiharu.

Even after losing all his lands in a battle with another daimyo, his retainers and the people fought in his place and reclaimed his lands multiple times.

Even though he was constantly defeated in battle, his retainers would lock him up during wars, and farmers, who preferred to die rather than pay taxes to other daimyo, would burn all their wealth...

He was a man who had no ability other than winning the people's favor, but thanks ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) to that favor, he managed to revive several times.

The Emperor of the Toscana Empire may not be loved by the people to the same extent as this gentleman...

‘Gaining the overwhelming support of serfs and the people is something worth aiming for.’

"How about gaining the people's favor, Your Majesty?"

"I already believe that through the newspapers you publish, we have gained their support, Count Rothschild. Do you think differently?"

For a politician, public support is like money.

Just like it's better to have 10 billion in your bank account rather than 1 billion, a 70% approval rating is better than a 50% approval rating.

‘Approval rating = power.’

Of course, since the Toscana Empire is a feudal state, gaining the people's favor won't necessarily help the Emperor wield absolute power easily...

But what would happen if the people fully supported the Emperor, and any lord who opposed his will was ready to be overthrown?

The nobles would have to kneel before the Emperor to preserve their positions.

If the Emperor just snapped his fingers, the serfs and merchants would deliver pikes to him immediately.

"Even if the monthly newspaper only contains editorials about how much Your Majesty cares for the people, their patriotism will surely grow."

For modern people, it seems natural for the president to show up at disaster recovery sites to deliver relief supplies and console people...

But until the mid-20th century, if a president actually came to deliver relief supplies, elderly people would have been moved to tears.

After all, the country’s ruler came all the way there to comfort them.

And to maximize the effect, the president would eat 막걸리 (makgeolli) and 국밥 (gukbap) in front of farmers and commoners, showing solidarity.

Then, after hearing about the people's hardships, he would summon the district officials or mayors—people whom ordinary citizens wouldn’t dare look at—and scold them in front of the citizens.

It was a display to show the people how much the president cared for them.

‘It worked so well in those times.’

Let alone a time more backward than the 20th century, in the Toscana Empire, where the Emperor simply says once a month in an editorial that he thinks of them and plans to reduce taxes in famine-stricken areas...

The people would immediately start shouting "Long live the Emperor!"

This alone, frankly, would be very well done for a medieval fantasy leader.

"However, would Your Majesty be satisfied with just a slightly stronger imperial authority than before?"

The Emperor shook his head after listening to my words.

"I desire an even stronger imperial authority."

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Power has the same properties as money.

When we graduate from university and start working, having 10 million in our account feels like enough, but once we save that much...

We want to save 50 million, and later we might even want a foreign car or an apartment.

Once you taste power, you start craving more.

Eventually, that leads to rebellion or plotting coups.

"Then, why not lower the heavy taxes on serfs just a little? And publish it in the newspaper."

"If we lower taxes, won’t the nobles who are already struggling with financial difficulties start resenting me?"

"There is no reform without pain."

No pain, no gain.

It’s a famous saying that nothing can be gained without enduring hardship.

If the Emperor wants to strengthen his power, he must pay the price.

There is no such thing as something for nothing in this world.

"Right now, the tax imposed on the serfs is 60% of their harvest. Plus, they must offer more than 10% of their grain to the Church every year."

A 70% effective tax rate. Even Nordic countries, which guarantee welfare from cradle to grave, don’t impose taxes like this.

If I earn 2 million, I’d have to give 1.4 million as taxes.

This is definitely crossing the line.

Even though the serfs in the Toscana Empire have endured this kind of tax for generations, they continue to live under these conditions...

If a modern country’s president were to impose a 70% tax on the lower-income people or the average earners, within a week, the citizens who don’t want to pay taxes would rise up.

"This system was created when the Toscana Empire was in turmoil, when wars with barbarians, bandits, and neighboring states broke out frequently, and it was unavoidable," I explained.

The commonality between Japan's Warring States period and medieval feudal systems is one thing.

Society was in absolute chaos.

Although records from the feudal era are limited, Japan's Warring States period was nothing short of chaotic.

It was a daily occurrence for a neighboring town to burn down, and its residents sold into slavery. It was common for families to lose members in wars.

It was so frequent for daughters or wives to be raped and killed that it wasn’t even discussed, only used as casual gossip.

Some modern Japanese even say that the massacres during the Imjin War were part of their culture. Need I say more?

The fact that such systems from these chaotic times are still in place hundreds of years later is the Toscana Empire's biggest problem.

‘The serfs are too poor to buy our goods.’

"That’s true."

"If Your Majesty declares to the serfs that you will gradually correct this unjust system, how happy would they be?"

A person earning 1 million a month might be struggling to live in a small room and only eating twice a day.

But if some wicked person imposes a 70% tax on them...

After paying the rent for the small room, they would worry about starving.

Now, imagine if a politician reduced taxes by even 10%, allowing people to eat one full meal a day?

That politician would become their savior.

"You don’t need to drastically lower the taxes at once."

Actually, even if there is room to lower the taxes, it’s not advisable to cut them in half immediately.

As Machiavelli said, cruelty should be concentrated at once, and things people like should be given gradually.

Lowering taxes is something the serfs would appreciate.

We should lower them very gradually, giving them time to feel thankful toward the Emperor.

"Announce in next month’s, or two months from now’s, newspaper that the tax on serfs will be reduced by just 10%."

I’m not some grand aristocrat fighting evil nobles for the people's welfare.

I’m just a noble who wants to live well with my wives.

So, I can’t take such dangerous actions that would estrange me from the noble class.

‘A 10% reduction in taxes from the serfs is manageable.’

"Won’t the nobles rebel?"

"Of course, they will."

If a company suddenly reduces your salary by 10% without any reason, who would take it well?

They’d probably want to break the boss’s head with a chair right away.

"But, they’ll only complain. They’ll have no choice but to submit to Your Majesty’s authority."

To overthrow the Emperor, the serfs would need to be armed and form an army.

But how can the serfs, who would support the Emperor over their lord, start a rebellion?

Besides, it’s only a 10% tax reduction, not some ridiculous cut.

The nobles will have to grit their teeth and bear it.

"And when they start showing their dissatisfaction... we’ll send certified accountants from our academy to collect income taxes from the merchants in the region, and expand the finances by making up for the missing tax revenue."

The taxes the nobles collect from the serfs, when converted into money, don’t add up to much.

They make up about 60% of the budget.

Another 20% comes from bribes collected by merchants, and the rest comes from various miscellaneous taxes.

"The bribes from the merchants are less than 5% of their income. They’re good at disguising that as their entire earnings."

By raising that tax by 10%, or even up to 20% depending on income brackets, the tax revenue will increase significantly.

"If we do this, we’ll win the people’s favor and also control the nobles’ finances to some extent."

Of course, the Emperor will need to handle the middle process on his own.

"Alright, then I’ll announce the tax reduction for the serfs in two months."