The world is undergoing great changes, but people who are conventional are ignoring this change, and people who are short-sighted cannot see any changes at all. However, the changes are coming like the tide of the full moon, and no human power can stop it.
Maybe history has made a little joke, maybe powerful civilizations all have their own similarities. The emerging empire on which the sun never sets and the ancient civilization of the Chinese Empire have both given birth to countless talents, or countless hidden dragons.
And these hidden dragons who are good at change can keenly discover changes in the world, and proactively cater to such changes with a proactive attitude, so that their nation can continue to be prosperous or overtake in a corner.
How did the world change at the end of the nineteenth century? People at that time may not have felt it because they were in the midst of changes and were typical boiled frogs.
However, later generations can get the accurate answer through horizontal and vertical comparisons, which is the rise of neo-colonialism.
It is very interesting that Xiao Letian and Gladstone launched the concept of neocolonialism at almost the same time, because they both discovered the changes in the world.
However, in specific operations, the two types of neocolonialism are quite different.
Gladstone's neo-colonialism is more inclined to return to primitive mercantilism, or a kind of isolationism that is more moderate than American isolationism.
Under this kind of ideological leadership, Britain will reduce its external military intervention and even its political and economic intervention. People will pay more attention to internal affairs and the accumulation of their own strength.
Externally, the ratio of input to output is strictly calculated. Any action must be rewarded, and money and soldiers' lives cannot be wasted for the sake of face.
For example, colonialists like Benjamin have always been eyeing Sudan and Ethiopia because this land is the only European colonial blank in Africa.
Most of the remaining areas have been divided up by Britain and France. If the Sudan is captured again, then Black Africa will completely become a European colony, and there will be no blank area.
It is conceivable that if the Sudan region is annexed, the glory of this victory will definitely make the British people cheer excitedly for half a year. However, in the eyes of Gladstone and others, such cheers are meaningless.
Because the Sudan area is too barren and has no coastline. It is a highland landlocked country with a very backward agricultural foundation and basically zero industrial base. Annexing such land is a complete loss-making business.
The neo-colonialists actually strictly follow the ancient Chinese saying that no matter how big a country is, it will perish if it is warlike! They will never do a business that they know is a loss-making business.
In addition, even if it is a profitable business, they are not willing to use extreme methods such as military means to develop it. If something can be done at the negotiation table in a simple sentence, don't bother the army.
It can be said that in the past, the traditional colonialists liked military colonization that annexed land, but the Gladstone group preferred to use commercial power for commercial colonization. They preferred to completely smash the local traditional economic system and then use The British commercial system came to replace it.
In their eyes, making money is the first priority. They invest less and achieve greater results. They save resources and do big things domestically. This theory was still very popular in British society at that time.
Xiao Letian's neo-colonialism is completely different from the British. The Chinese colonial plan is actually a culture-led colonial policy.
The Chinese immigrants who followed a long path took root in the poorest land in Southeast Asia, relying on the perseverance of the agricultural people to create new businesses.
The Chinese know how to be patient and know not to anger the Western powers in the initial stage of colonial expansion, so they can only choose those barbaric lands that you don't want and work hard on them.
Let’s plant the land first. There will be no threat to agriculture, right? Anyway, the grain business relies on the huge market of the Qing Dynasty. Although the profit is not much, it is stable!
He first engages in agriculture to fill his stomach, and then relies on the foundation of Chinese civilization to forcibly convert the local indigenous people. Xiao Letian doesn't care about religious beliefs or cultural traditions. He only cares about one thing...Chinese language and Chinese characters!
No matter what gods you believe in or what kind of totem worship you engage in, as long as you speak Chinese and write Chinese characters, there is no chance of running away.
China's huge population base and thousands of years of continuous civilization are the basis for the Chinese colonial expansion. In the beginning, there is no need to consider the issue of profits. The Chinese only need to provide appropriate military protection to the colonies.
The Chinese people are the most famous for their hard work in the world. The people at the bottom are like the seeds of weeds. As long as you sow them on the wasteland without any investment in cultivation, relying on their perseverance to survive, it will take less than ten years. Give you a prosperous overseas colony.
This colonial model seems to be very slow and the early harvest is small, but it is better than stability. As long as this model operates in a region for decades, the land will not be able to escape.
One model is based on profit as its main purpose, while the other model is based on civilized assimilation as its main purpose. Which one is higher and which is lower depends on how history decides.
Under the patient persuasion of a group of imperial elites, Gordon finally slowly opened his heart and somewhat understood Gladstone's policies.
It turned out that he had misunderstood him so deeply before. He always thought that Gladstone was a coward and a capitulator.
But when everyone explained the truth to him, especially after hearing about the great success of compulsory education in Prussia, Gordon was moved. Especially what the Secretary General of the Navy said made Gordon even more frightened.
"We must admit that in some aspects of technological development, the Prussians are already ahead of us...I can reveal some secrets to you here. The empire's imitation of the Chinese Zhiyuan is actually not going well..."
"We have underestimated Prussia's industrial power before. We really didn't expect that they could build such a huge ship, especially that 210-caliber cannon... Our arsenal has already scrapped three of them. You can imagine Would such a horrific scene appear in the empire’s arsenal?”
"Facts have proven that Prussia's compulsory education has indeed stored a large number of outstanding talents for them. If we don't catch up, we may not even have qualified technicians in our factories in ten years!"
"Put aside your sectarian opinions! Use your influence on Emperor Tongzhi to help the empire win the railway project... Remember that the benefits this railway line can bring are much greater than the colonial Sudan plan you have always desired. !”
At this point, Gordon had nothing to say, and his face was enough. Gladstone pried another Benjamin's confidant into Gladstone's chariot.
