Chapter 338: Dream of Being a Great Power
Its not just William I who is having a tough time; the real tragedy lies with George I, the Emperor of the German Federal Empire, who is truly struggling.
Because he was supported into power by the British, and he himself holds the title of Duke of Cumberland in England, he is jokingly referred to by the public as Cumberland I.
From the outset, George Is position as emperor was unstable. There are countless lords below him who simply ignore him. Even with the support of the British, he finds it difficult to deal with these lords.
As an elected emperor, his powers are as great as those of the Holy Roman Emperor in the Middle Ages. Apart from being a nominal co-ruler, his powers are largely limited to presiding over the federal assembly.
That was one thing, at least he could still govern Hanover. George I had no expectation that the member states would obey him.
As a buffer between major powers, as long as the European situation remains stable, the German Federal Empire is relatively secure.
What gave him the biggest headache was his extremely low sovereign prestige. Many civilians called the German Federal Empire the Comedy Empire, viewing this empire imposed on them by other countries as a disgrace.
Despite many years of effort, George I hasnt been able to change anything. The people dont even identify with the empire, let alone recognize him as emperor.
The member states within the empire were worried that George I would learn from Franz and use public opinion pressure to consolidate the power in their hands, so they tacitly suppressed his prestige.
George I felt extremely wronged. He hadnt done anything, yet was scolded by the people until his reputation was in tatters to the point that even his rule in Hanover was no longer stable.
If he had known that being emperor would have such serious consequences, he would rather not have worn the crown.
But now it was too late. He had already become a laughingstock; if he abdicated again, his familys entire reputation would be ruined.
To restore his reputation, George I had also been governing diligently in recent years, ruling Hanover quite well.
Unfortunately, there was no way to compare. The New Holy Roman Empire had also been making waves recently, periodically coming out to assert its existence, eclipsing his achievements in comparison.
Ultimately, Hanover is just a small country. No matter how well its governed, the achievements are only economic. Politically, he cannot satisfy the peoples dream of being a great power.
Even if he were to integrate the German Federal Empire, it would still only be a medium-sized country with a population of over ten million. The dream of being a great power is just that a dream.
Of course, George Is goals arent so lofty. If he could integrate the various small states within the country and turn the German Federal Empire into a medium-sized power, similar to neighboring Prussia, he would already be satisfied.
Achieving this would be extremely difficult. European society placed great emphasis on the rule of law. The nobles and capitalists relied on laws to protect their interests, and any existence that disrupted the rules would be rejected by all.
This rules out George I resorting to force to solve the internal issues with the states. Even if the Kingdom of Hanover had the strength, he wouldnt dare to take military action.
Regarding Austrias invitation to colonize Southeast Asia, hes not particularly interested. George I has his backers. As a pawn of the British Empire on the European continent, there was no need for him to follow Austria in colonizing.
The power of the British isnt infinite, so theyve become picky. John Bull has long since disregarded areas with low economic value and little strategic significance.
These remaining regions can be divided among lesser powers. Look at the Netherlands and Portugal for example theyve taken shares of the territories that John Bull isnt interested in.
Unfortunately, the German Federal Empire was not governed solely by George I. Many member states and free cities were interested in opening overseas colonies in the Southeast Asian region.
Paul, do you think its necessary for us to wade into those troubled waters of Southeast Asia?
As George Is Chief of Staff, Paul pondered for a moment before replying, Your Majesty, it depends on what you want. The Austrian governments move is an open conspiracy. At this point, most of the fertile lands in the world have been divided up, and territories in Southeast Asia that are rich in resources are scarce.
While the Austrians certainly want to win over domestic interest groups in preparation for unifying Germany, this is also an opportunity for us.
Though we have many member states domestically, their individual strength is limited. To establish overseas colonies, well need to band together.
Colonial expansion is inseparable from naval power. If we collaborate to build a navy, as the central government, we have a good chance of taking the lead.
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George I was tempted. If he could control the navy, the central government would no longer be merely nominal, and he, as the emperor, would escape the embarrassment of being a figurehead.
If substantial returns could be gained from overseas colonial activities, his prestige as emperor would undoubtedly soar.
Regardless of whether he could ultimately unite the empire, at least he wouldnt be subject to daily criticism anymore. Why should he bear the blame alone when the division of the German region was a collective effort?
If the member states were determined to merge with Austria, not even Britain and France could stop it.
George I hesitantly said, This may not be easy. Even if we successfully establish colonies, the distribution of benefits afterward will be troublesome.
Paul said with confidence, Your Majesty, it is precisely because of these troubles that opportunities arise. When conflicts emerge among the member states, they will no longer join forces against you. Only by dividing and weakening the alliance of states can you truly control this empire.
The word empire always sounded jarring to George Is mind, but as an emperor, he still yearned for power.
As for the threat from Austria, they tacitly avoided mentioning it throughout their conversation. Unlike William I, George I never entertained the idea of confronting Austria with military force.
The German Federal Empire was originally an artificial state with limited strength. Its best path for survival was to serve as a buffer between the great powers. As long as no single power dominated the European continent, they would be safe.
Following this philosophy, the military of the Kingdom of Hanover hardly developed. Instead, its economy advanced to the forefront of Europe, forming a stark contrast with the Kingdom of Prussia.
Vienna Palace
Foreign Minister Wessenberg said, Your Majesty, both Prussia and the German Federal Empire have accepted our invitation. We can now proceed with the next step of the plan.
Upon hearing this news, Franz immediately produced a map of Southeast Asia with clear markings indicating the spheres of influence of various countries.
Where do you think would be suitable for them?
Since it was bait, naturally there had to be some profit. Otherwise, the ambitions they had painstakingly nurtured would quickly deflate.
As long as they profited from the first colony, Franz would no longer need to intervene further. Under the influence of interests, they would venture further and further down the path of colonialism.
Foreign Minister Wessenberg proposed, Your Majesty, it might be a good choice to let the German Federal Empire colonize Malaysia and Prussia colonize Sumatra or the Indochinese Peninsula.
Without a doubt, this arrangement carries significant implications. Despite these regions still being considered unclaimed territories, in reality, the British have already set their sights on Malaysia. However, they currently lack the capacity to fully claim it.
If Austria were to occupy Malaysia, it would pose a threat to the security of Singapore. John Bull would certainly not tolerate this due to the Strait of Malacca. However, with the German Federal Empire being a small state and a British ally, theres a good chance John Bull would turn a blind eye given their numerous colonies, which they struggled to manage.
Even if the British intervened, Austria would suffer no losses. Instead, they could use this conflict to drive a wedge between the British and the German Federal Empire.
Having the Prussians choose Sumatra or the Indochinese Peninsula also had political motives.
In the case of the former, the Dutch have long had their eyes on it. Over a decade ago, Britain and the Netherlands reached an agreement, whereby Sumatra would fall under Dutch control. It would serve as their compensation for relinquishing claims to the Strait of Malacca.
Once the Prussians seize Sumatra, the relations between Prussia and the Netherlands will undoubtedly deteriorate. The Dutch have waged several wars for Sumatra already, and they currently occupy parts of the island.
While the Indochinese Peninsula may appear unclaimed, the French have long had their eyes on it. However, the French government is currently preoccupied with annexing the Kingdom of Sardinia and has not taken action yet.
Once the Prussians entered Indochina, it would plant another nail for future Prussian-French conflicts. Unless the Prussians pulled off a miracle and fully occupied Indochina before the French acted.
Franz nodded in satisfaction and then asked, The bait is set well, but they can see these issues too. How can we ensure they take the bait?
Foreign Minister Wessenberg explained, Your Majesty, this is a conspiracy from the start. The tentacles of the British and French extend all over the world. We cant just let everyone give up just because those two might be interested, can we?
Currently, both Britain and France are occupied with their own affairs, making it an opportune moment to act. As long as we maintain secrecy, by the time they realize, it will already be a fait accompli.
Interests sway peoples hearts. We can arrange for people to advocate for it, letting them know this is a risk that must be taken in overseas colonialism.
Franz nodded in agreement.
Conflicts between various countries overseas colonies are common. For example, conflicts between Britain and Portugal in South Africa, between Britain, France, and the Netherlands in Southeast Asia, between Britain and France in Australia, and between Britain, France, and Austria in West Africa...
There are plenty of existing examples. In these conflicts, the victor isnt necessarily the stronger nation. At least in Southeast Asia, the Dutch hold the dominant position.
Moreover, these conflicts would not break out immediately. The French were still making a final push to annex the Kingdom of Sardinia, while the British were scheming to divide the United States.
By the time they finished those preoccupations and turned their attention to Southeast Asia, there would already be enough time for Prussia and the German Federal Empire to open their first colonies.
After tasting that first slice of the pie and gaining benefits, the capitalists and nobles of the two countries would then drive them racing madly down the path of a colonial empire.
However, they would soon discover that the world had already been largely divided up, with only scraps left over.
Yet they lack the strength to seize even those scraps. Spurred by interests, the dream of becoming a great power would once again become the mainstream aspiration of society.
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