Chapter 49: Power Comes From This
"They control the lifeblood of France, father!" Charles explained: "Steel, rifles, artillery and warships, they are all indispensable. As long as these capitalists close the doors of their factories or refuse to sell, France will be finished."
Deyoka nodded thoughtfully: "Power comes from this, no one dares to offend them, because they can decide the life and death of France!"
"Yes!" Charles said: "They are the upper-class businessmen who make the rules, and the middle and low-level businessmen can only make money under their rules. They don't know that the upper-class businessmen with power only need one word to make the middle and low-level businessmen have nothing. So, is money really that important?"
Only with power can you keep your money, and you can even use power to rob other people's money. If you have money but no power, you can only watch others rob your money.
Deyoka felt that what Charles said made sense. He had guessed before that Charles wanted to cut a piece of the power cake from the capitalists, but he didn't expect it to come so soon.
After hesitating for a while, Deyoka asked doubtfully: "But the military's power is very limited, Charles, they don't even interfere in politics!"
"It's not important, father!" Charles replied: "What's important is that the military protects France, and capitalists control the military by selling arms, and then achieve the goal of controlling France! Those big capitalists you just mentioned all do this!"
Among them, the Wentel family is not an arms dealer, they control steel, and steel is an indispensable raw material for military industry, and civilian industry is no exception, so the French government can only give them privileges with a pleasant face.
Charles finally put down his fork, he touched his bulging belly and concluded: "Although we make less money by cooperating with the military, this is the only way for us to have power, and it may also be the only chance!"
Deyoka didn't understand it very well, but he realized that Charles was right.
The typical counterexample is the traditional nobles of Greve. Although they are rich, they have been marginalized on the political stage and have little influence. This may be one of the reasons why they want to buy the ownership of the tanks at all costs.
Charles did not go on to elaborate. He was not keeping the secret or pretending to be mysterious, but some things were beyond Dejoka's imagination.
At this time, the capitalists had almost everything in the army, from uniforms to rifles to cannons and warships, but there were two areas that were almost blank: armored vehicles such as tanks, and aircraft.
It was not that the capitalists did not want to take over everything, but these things had not yet developed. They did not realize that these two areas would develop greatly in the future, nor did they know how they would develop, and of course they did not know how important they were.
If Charles developed in the direction of rifles, he would become an enemy of the Saint-Etienne Arsenal.
If he developed in the direction of artillery, he would steal Schneider's business.
If he developed in the direction of warships, he would touch the interests of the Brest Shipyard!
No matter which one he chose, it would intensify the contradiction with the big capitalists, and a war without gunpowder would start immediately.
With Charles' current strength, none of these big capitalists could afford to offend him, and they could easily create a traffic accident to kill him.
But if Charles goes in the direction of tanks, armored vehicles and aircraft... then there will be no enemies or competitors. The big capitalists will at most consider the issue of purchasing property rights or whether to follow this industry and start imitation.
This is one of the reasons why Charles is still safe and sound.
So, is it important to sell at a low price and make less money?
What is important is to cooperate with the military to promote tanks, aircraft and various armored vehicles to the army in the name of "Charles", so that the army and even France cannot do without themselves.
One day, as long as Charles closes the factory gate, France may perish. What can the big capitalists do with Charles at that time? Kill Charles and perish together?
From this perspective, General Gallieni misunderstood Charles. He thought that the reason why Charles agreed to his plan to cooperate with the military was because of "conscience".
Of course, there is a component of conscience and self-protection, but more of it is that Charles is unwilling to become a pawn in the hands of big capitalists. He hopes to become a veritable chaebol and a chess player!
Perhaps sensing Charles' ambition, Djoka was a little unhappy.
Charles might not really want to help the people and soldiers, he wanted to use them as bargaining chips to fight against the capitalists.
But on second thought, Djoka felt that this was understandable.
This is a society where the strong prey on the weak. Unless you are willing to stay at the bottom and let the big capitalists exploit you, you can only fight your way to the top. Any hesitation and any mercy will lead to failure and never a chance to turn things around.
This can even be said to be self-protection.
Thinking of this, Djoka was relieved, and he nodded firmly: "Like I said, I will always stand by you!"
...
The next morning, Djoka went to Paris as a guardian to apply for the industrial property rights of the sidecar. Djoka was accompanied by several workers such as Guillaume.
This was Charles' idea.
"Many parts and ideas in the sidecar were thought up by the workers!" Charles said, "For example, shock absorbers, triangular machine gun struts... We should protect their rights!"
Dyoka readily agreed.
He is a person who values feelings and manners. He always agrees to such things very readily, and is deeply pleased with Charles's compassion for workers.
In this respect, he is indeed not suitable for business!
Charle did this for several reasons:
First, it can stimulate the workers' enthusiasm for work and creativity.
All their inventions are their own, and they can create wealth for themselves. Of course, they are more willing to invent rather than hide it like before.
Second, it can attract talents from other factories.
Other factories and capitalists will plunder the workers' invention property rights, but Charles protects their rights and interests and even helps them apply for them. Talents are of course more willing to work for Charles.
Third, the most important thing is that it can tie the fate of workers to Charles.
One day in the future, if there are still capitalists who imitate sidecars, it will not be Charles's business alone. They also touch the workers' cake, because the property rights in the hands of workers are also infringed by capitalists.
At that time, Charles does not even need to take the lead. The workers will spontaneously organize marches and protests, and the momentum may be much greater than that of Charles' call.
Spending a little money can get many benefits, so why not?
Charles's approach is effective. The factory was unattended all day. Deyoka and Guillaume went to Paris, but everyone worked consciously and even resumed the production of motorcycles. The factory operated on its own in an incredible state.
Charles did not go to the factory either, Camille locked him up at home.
"Wait until your father comes back!" Camille said firmly: "Otherwise you can't go anywhere!"
Charles tried several times but failed to persuade Camille. She was indecisive by nature, but she was surprisingly stubborn in this regard.
Helpless, Charles could only lie on the bed and flip through the textbooks, wondering if school should resume? After all, the Germans had been repelled and lost the opportunity to counterattack!
Then Charles thought again... Classmates of the same age as him were about to turn 18 or even had already turned 18. They would probably go to the battlefield next year. What was the point of returning to school?
