Chapter 71: Chapter 15: The Reformists
The uproarious Austrian civil service exam continued until February 1849 before it concluded, leaving some delighted with the results and others dismayed.
Franz breathed a sigh of relief, glad it had concluded smoothly. With this successful beginning, Austria's talent selection system was transformed.
The central government took the responsibility of selecting talent, who would then be assigned to local offices, significantly weakening the power of local factions and strengthening centralization.
On February 6, 1849, the Austrian National Assembly officially convened, marking the beginning of all Austrian ethnicities jointly participating in politics and determining the fate of the nation.
In total, 115 representatives from various Austrian ethnicities attended the meeting. Theoretically, the allocation was based on population proportions, but an additional 15 were added considering practical issues.
Many of Austria's ethnic groups lived scattered, so Franz naturally couldn't gather them all. The selection of representatives was based on regions.
Candidates were nominated by the great Emperor himself, followed by local voting. If an ethnicity lacked representation, it simply meant they were being represented by others.
Amidst public cheers, the Austrian National Assembly, the nominal supreme authority of Austria, was established.
The first order of business was the passage of the Austrian Compulsory Education Act. The highly-anticipated mandatory education was finally legally established in Austria.
Opinions solicited from all sectors by the government were finally settled. Hundreds of thousands of suggestions were received, with most being repetitive.
To Franz's surprise, there was significant opposition to compulsory education. Almost half the opinions received suggested that the government should avoid such unnecessary expenditure.
Indeed, many perceived compulsory education as an unnecessary burden. They cited examples of the two major powers of the time—England and Russia—which didn't have compulsory education. Prussia, although it introduced such an education system, hadn't risen to global dominance because of it.
Franz, strong-willed, chose to ignore these dissenting voices.
The benefits of Prussia's compulsory education were not yet apparent, but they would become clear with the outbreak of the Second Industrial Revolution when people would realize the large number of skilled workers and engineers in Prussia. Thanks to this workforce, after the Second Industrial Revolution, Germany's economy skyrocketed, surpassing England.
After several rounds of screening, only five feasible plans remained in front of Franz, including a sandbox-style teaching approach he had proposed.
One suggestion infuriated Franz: a "half-work, half-study" compulsory education system. This meant that children receiving compulsory education would work half a day in factories and then attend classes for the remaining half. Their wages would cover the costs of education.
On the surface, it seemed reasonable, but in reality, it was problematic. If capitalists and schools colluded, children could become cheap labor sources.
Another suggestion was to entrust compulsory education to the church. The government would fund the church, which would oversee education.
While this approach would save costs, the outcome was uncertain. Would the next generation be loyal to the emperor or the church? Considering the historical struggle between European governments and religious powers, Franz found this approach retrogressive.
Both these seemingly feasible but flawed suggestions had malicious implications. Franz lamented, "National education quality really needs to be enhanced!"
...
After removing two unfeasible suggestions, Franz said, "Prime Minister, submit these three more reliable suggestions to the parliament for discussion. Let's choose the one most suitable for Austria's national conditions for compulsory education."
"Yes, Your Majesty," replied Prime Minister Felix.
The so-called "discussion" was merely a formality. The emperor's will was also the will of the Austrian National Assembly. It's okay to have personal opinions, but they should not conflict with the emperor's.
Of course, if someone could provide a good reason to persuade Emperor Franz, he was open-minded. As long as it's a good suggestion, he's willing to accept it.
The Minister of Education, Count Leo Count Leopold von Thun und Hohenstein, handed over a thick document, saying, "Your Majesty, the Ministry of Education has prepared a plan for compulsory education. Please review it."
Franz took the document, which was about two to three hundred pages long. He did not rush to open it. Such content would take time to read thoroughly.
Austria is a multi-ethnic country with complex national conditions. Implementing compulsory education in different ethnic regions might require various methods.
The plan was comprehensive, hence the thickness.
"Count Leopold, tell me about the plan in brief. How prepared are we?" Franz asked with concern.
Count Huh quickly responded, "Your Majesty, after conducting extensive field research throughout the country, the Ministry of Education decided to implement compulsory education in phases. We will start in major cities and gradually spread to rural areas. This year, we aim to initiate compulsory education in major cities like Vienna, Prague, and Pécs. We hope to extend it nationwide within five years. We've selected the school locations in these cities, and due to budget constraints, we're primarily remodeling existing buildings. So far, we've completed the construction of 1,023 schools and recruited 34,216 teachers, who are currently undergoing training and will be ready by May. We plan to officially launch compulsory education in June. Initially, considering the capacity of the schools, we'll enroll students who volunteer to register. In five years, we'll make it mandatory for all school-age children."
Franz nodded, "Has the Ministry considered wealthier students who can afford tuition fees and want better education conditions?"
Count Leopold explained, "Your Majesty, Austria already has fee-charging schools. We've not made significant changes to them, and they are not part of the compulsory education system. For fairness, the Ministry will gradually reduce the funding for these schools. All schools will receive funding based on the number of students."
This might not be the best choice, but it was the most suitable one. The government's financial support for each student was the same, emphasizing fairness. Wealthy families could choose to send their children to better, more expensive schools.
Franz pondered for a moment and said, "Continue to seek opinions from domestic education experts. As long as their suggestions are feasible and beneficial to Austria, we can consider them."
He understood the need to consult with experts and gain public support. The Austrian government had previously faced challenges in relations with intellectuals. Still, by actively seeking their feedback on various reforms, tensions had lessened.
Many were dissatisfied with the government's earlier rigid system, but this didn't mean they were disloyal or rebellious. Austria is inherently conservative. Revolutionary ideas that were popular in France found little traction here. People wanted reform, not revolution.
During the Metternich era, the call for reform was loud, but little action was taken. This inaction led to widespread dissatisfaction. However, during Franz's reign, reforms were constantly being implemented, making most reformists content.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
SusshiRoll
SusshiRoll ewrtwe_wewe fuck off. Since you think this work is less professional than a "fan translation" go read over there.
Imagine someone taking there time to translate and edit chapters, for others to read for free. And you say the translator is less professional.