I Became A Black Merchant In Another World-Chapter 327: One Ghost, Labor Standards Act (5)

The most fun thing in this world is watching a fire across the river.

Because it doesn’t affect me in any way, but I can directly observe other people’s property burning in real-time.

Moreover, I can sell expensive materials like wood and construction supplies to people whose houses have burned down at a high price.

But what if the house burning across the river is mine?

It would surely become the most unfortunate thing in the world.

Because, in the end, everything in life operates under the principle that others' suffering can be my happiness, and my suffering can be someone else’s luck.

‘The wave of communism should only spread abroad.’

In the Toscana Empire, such movements should never happen again.

If the empire’s serfs and workers rise up to overthrow the ruling class, the worst-case scenario is that my wives and I would have our heads chopped off at the guillotine.

"Your Excellency, have you heard the news?"

"Are you talking about the riot that broke out in the territory of Duke Sforza and his faction?"

The corners of Duke Visconti’s mouth stretched all the way to his ears.

"That fool’s reputation has plummeted, no, it’s fallen to hell. He’s the type to put on a big show to protect his honor. Now that his high nose has been properly broken, his life must be incredibly frustrating."

"Naturally, there will be an article about this on the front page of this month’s newspaper."

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"As expected of you! In politics, when the opponent shows their weakness, you must stab at it, sprinkle some salt and pepper, and mock them. It’s only proper. A very polite gesture indeed."

"The Toscana Empire’s newspaper is delivered nationwide, even to the villages in the mountains. That bastard Sforza will be a nationwide disgrace."

In any era, politicians live or die based on their reputation.

That's why even when they commit crimes and end up in jail, they claim innocence and refuse to reflect on their actions.

If they have supporters, even if they commit acts that would ruin an ordinary person’s life, they can come back like a phoenix rising from the ashes.

‘To bury Sforza, I need to eat away at his reputation first.’

"By next year, Sforza should remain as quiet as a mouse. Since the riot happened because he couldn’t manage his own territory."

Reputation in politics is often determined by how frequently you appear in the public eye.

Even a rookie politician can gain influence by appearing on the news and showing they are doing something, no matter how trivial.

While the Toscana Empire's politics don’t run like a democracy, if someone stays silent for nearly a year?

It’s likely they’ll still struggle even after making a comeback next year.

"The downfall of Duke Sforza and his faction’s honor is good news, but the workers rioting in the factory is a serious issue."

"Indeed, even in our territory, the mob could rise up at any moment. If such problems break out, my reputation will fall too."

The duke pondered for a moment before speaking.

"This riot is not just a problem for the Sforza faction. It’s a riot with more than 30,000 participants."

"With 30,000 rioters, this isn’t something Sforza can handle ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) on his own. The Empire’s council will definitely handle this matter."

In the Toscana Empire, barons and above have judicial authority.

Any punishment except the death penalty can be handled at the lord’s level, and even the death penalty can be approved by the Ministry of Justice with a simple report.

Within their own domain, they can act as kings.

However, if the matter gets too big, it will be passed on to the Empire’s council, where all the nobles of the Empire attend and make a decision.

‘At this point, it’s safe to say Sforza is screwed.’

"Riots are really scary. Once they break out, they spread quickly to other areas, like fire. Even though it’s too late to fix the situation, we have to deal with the riot harshly to prevent it from spreading."

"I disagree with that opinion."

"Why do you disagree?"

"Looking at it from another angle, this is similar to a peasant revolt. The factory owners exploited the workers by taking advantage of their bad conditions, and those who couldn’t bear it rose up in rebellion."

The truth is, I’m the one who started this riot.

Therefore, if the people involved in this riot, or rather the labor movement, are labeled as "rioters attempting to overthrow the Empire" by the Empire’s council and executed, the responsibility falls on me.

But that’s a minor issue compared to the bigger problem of ignoring the workers’ protests. If we ignore them, there will be even more problems.

‘The ghost of communism is awakening.’

Well, unless someone like Karl Marx comes along, smashing the heads of all capitalists and advocating for an equal world,

the likelihood of communism emerging is very low, but that’s just how life works.

You never know when something unexpected might happen.

Who knows, maybe because of the labor movement I started, years from now, history books will report the horrific news that communism began in the Toscana Empire.

"If we suppress these people harshly right now, we might be able to prevent workers from rising up across the country. But that’s just a temporary fix."

"Indeed, if you try to suppress a peasant rebellion recklessly, it often turns into a full-blown uprising."

The Donghak Peasant Movement we know, if the governor Yi Yong-gi had dealt with the farmers properly during the Gobu peasant uprising, it wouldn’t have happened.

But since Yi Yong-gi didn’t care for the farmers’ livelihoods and instead harshly dealt with those involved in the rebellion, the situation escalated.

‘Joseon at that time was doomed to fall.’

The nobles of the Toscana Empire are far more reasonable than the late Joseon aristocrats.

If you are reading this translation anywhere other than Novelight.net or SilkRoadTL, it has been stolen.

"And when you look at their working conditions, wages, and living standards, anyone would want to start a riot. They work 13 hours a day, 6 days a week, and are given only porridge that’s fit for pigs in filthy huts. Even after working so hard, all they get is ten silver coins."

"The food given to beggars in the poorhouse is probably better than that."

"At least they cut up some edible vegetables in the poorhouse, don’t they? They work 10 hours a day, 6 days a week. And they get 20 silver coins."

I’m not advocating for a 10-hour, 6-day workweek.

But the goal of the poorhouse is to help the socially vulnerable become self-sufficient.

So, according to the principle of "inferior treatment," they should receive a living standard that’s a few steps lower than what’s necessary for basic survival.

If living in a poorhouse is better than working in a factory, who would choose to work in a factory?

‘But that’s actually happening?’

If people in the poorhouse find it better, the cycle will repeat, and they’ll stay there forever.

In other words, it’s a disaster.

"Our serfs in the Toscana Empire are living a much better life than the urban workers. And all the factory workers come from serf backgrounds."

"It would be strange if they weren’t dissatisfied with their current conditions."

"Executing them or harshly dealing with them would only leave a spark for future uprisings."

"What should I do then?"

"Please defend the factory workers. And request that the Emperor establish laws to guarantee their basic living conditions."

"The merchants will hate that."

"That’s why it’s important to ensure that the wages are just enough to guarantee a minimum living standard for the serfs."

If people working in cities earn several times more than serfs, they’ll all abandon farming and flock to the cities.

In 1970s Korea, agriculture was made more efficient with chemical fertilizers and machinery, and later, food shortages were alleviated by importing food, which led to economic growth...

But in the Toscana Empire, without nitrogen fertilizers, if a massive rural-to-urban migration happens,

the Empire might collapse due to food shortages.

Therefore, the minimum wage should be enough for people to live a life slightly better than that of beasts.

"...If merchants complain, we can suppress them by lowering the corporate tax if we implement this wage law."

"Instead of angering the merchants, we’ll just ensure that the majority of the serfs in the domain have a better impression. Just like when the imperial authority rose, my authority will rise this time."

Well, passing the law is up to the Emperor, and just like the saying goes, "The bear does the work, but the king gets the money," the imperial authority will rise too...

At least Sforza will be finished.

"After that..."

And then I personally shared with the Duke a way to stick it to the Sforza faction in the Empire’s council.