Secret Society #2: The Turnip Winter That Never Ended
1919. The Great War should have ended long ago with Germany's defeat. But the Turnip Winter hadn't arrived yet. Nor had the Turnip Spring. To be precise, it had briefly come and gone. A tsunami of Soviet grain had swept over Germany alongside the communist fervor.
"What the hell is this massive amount of flour?"
"If you're not buying, get lost."
The Soviet Communist Party, communists who had temporarily decided to play capitalist in Germany, dumped flour there. Germany wanted to simply end the Eastern Front, and there were reasons for that. The problem was that these capitalist communists didn't just sell flour in Germany.
If you're a communist, we give discounts.
I'm a communist starting today.
First, giving away flour for free in the markets would only benefit the German military, as the Korean Empire had advised. So Soviet Communist Party members crossed into Germany themselves to sell the flour. Payment in marks immediately. Sure, gold reserves were depleted, so it wasn't gold-backed marks but non-convertible marks—paper scraps with "mark" written on them—but the Soviets bought up those very scraps. Selling flour at market price wasn't the goal anyway. They just needed an excuse to enter Germany under the guise of selling flour. Germany couldn't block Soviet merchants selling flour either.
And so the Red Revolutionaries who crossed into Germany witnessed Germany's first democratic election, the constitutional revolution. America demanded it become a proper constitutional monarchy before considering talks. The election was held under that pressure. At least it was a constitutional monarchy. To them, it was just a bourgeois revolution like France's. They hated it intensely.
Rosa Luxemburg felt the same—not from the Soviets, but after being temporarily exiled to Britain and returning to Germany, now the elder of the German Communist Party. With eyes from Britain, America, and the Soviets on her, Germany's armistice delegation allowed her return. She disliked the situation but saw it as the perfect opportunity. Proper democratic elections. Direct prime minister election. Time to show the power of the united masses.
The problem was opportunity was opportunity, and reality was reality. Germany was currently dominated by the so-called Social Democrats, a controlled left-wing puppet party subservient to the Kaiser and military. Lenin—no, Ulyanov—had good reason to spit in rage. The cunning political structure Pig Bismarck had built blocked the left from wielding power in parliament no matter how strong they grew. Fundamentally, the Kaiser and his appointed chancellor ran everything.
"This time it'll be different."
"Will it really?"
For communists, Germany and Britain were fated places that absolutely had to be communized. The horizon of history. Whether they succeeded would prove if communism was the tide of the era. Russia, then Germany, followed by London and Paris. The revolutionary timeline.
"Revolution is the way after all."
"What are you talking about? We're already in the midst of revolution."
Universal suffrage with mass participation, local autonomy and parliaments elected by it, parties. And women's suffrage. This was revolution—what else could it be? Rosa's chest swelled. Once those ballot boxes opened, the deceitful illusions and scams would end. Germans were thoroughly fed up with the Kaiser and the Junkers.
"Leader! Danger! Reactionaries are targeting you!"
"What? What do you mean?"
"This isn't the time—get in!"
"What are you saying? I'm staying here!"
"Force her in!"
Rough men dragged Rosa, who was among her comrades, into the car.
"Comrade, what is this?!"
"Who're you calling comrade?"
"What?"
The men turned feral and killed her on the spot.
"Dump her in the river."
Even with her skull cracked and body unresponsive, Rosa faintly pondered why this was happening. She couldn't close her eyes even if she tried. She couldn't understand. Probably neither could they. To the imperialists and Junkers, this revolutionary Rosa—who might even realign with the Social Democrats—was a must-eliminate target. No need for rationale. Whether Social Democrats and communists were on bad terms didn't matter. They just needed necessity. If she'd settled for amnesty and stayed in Britain, tragedy wouldn't have found her. But with Wilson declaring no negotiations without democratic elections and a government from them, Rosa—who seemed likely to play a role in such a government—had to be eliminated. They knew the Social Democrats would surge. But Rosa, split from them over war participation? She had to die for that question alone. Social Democrats were tolerable, but communists weren't. If she became a prime minister contender, it'd be trouble for everyone.
"That woman's missing?"
"Yes, she got into a black car out of nowhere, and no contact since."
"Good."
"Philipp?"
"Ah, nothing. Pretend you didn't hear."
She was a pure headache. What was left after dismantling the proud nation? Let alone allying with the Soviets? Germany should march to communist paradise preserving its full strength. Slavs could join later. The order was reversed, really. She couldn't distinguish front from back.
"Anyway, time for a good long sleep after ages. I campaigned hard too."
With one worry less, sweet sleep awaited. Rosa. The communist on my hit list. She was, well, an idealist. The kind everyone eventually shuns. Almost more utopian than communist. In my past life, she insisted dialogue and compromise could transcend human selfishness. I said class structures change form but never vanish or seem to. Opposites. If they call me communist, I'm an extreme realist; she's an extreme idealist. Lenin somewhere in between. I figured she'd die screaming someday. But thanks to her, I saved money. I had nothing to give or take from the current Social Democrats. Become chancellor first. Sad affair. Confirmed once more.
"Communism is impossible for humans."
This is axiomatic. Communism is an ideal, conceptual entity humans created; capitalism describes how humans act. Naturally, communism takes metaphysical, religious form; capitalism atheistic. Communism aims for atheism, capitalism allies with religion—perfect match, or opposite? Result: communism reacts to capitalism but virtue is for few, inevitably leading to dictatorship's self-contradiction. No matter decentralization or power separation, it only works when the local guardian self-immolates. Not for the nation, apex of collective egoism. Nations prefer fascism. That's why Rosa and most communists demand state dissolution. Problem: it crushes vested interests of the absolute majority tied to the state. Self-harm destroying sovereignty and birthrights. Democrats and fascists calling communists internal enemies isn't wrong. Communists know—they do it anyway. Their logic: if everyone guards state vested interests, escape the mental illness first, and all will follow. They must claim that, or no one escapes egoism. We rise, all rise. They were dead wrong. They rose; the rest rammed armies into them. For their own reasons. Humans can't escape selfishness. Remove it, nothing remains. Even altruism falls within selfishness's scope. Humans evolved altruism because selfish creatures advantaged by it fared better. Selfish genes. Humans are bound eternally. Only briefly, a few escape the yoke momentarily. Can't base humanity on that. That'd be a superhuman society. Unkind to ordinary folk like me.
The Supreme Leader—no, General Secretary—slowly crossed names off the list. Marx separated proletariat from sub-proletariat for his ideal world, but to me? Those sub-proletarians were closer to human essence. Premise wrong, so communism fails them. Can't sustain society. Thus communists assume less voluntary labor. Not welfare laziness—humans can't focus over 4 hours daily. Born that way. Even 4 is long, but 8+ is biological abuse. Hunt intensely 4 hours, opportunistically forage rest: optimal for sustaining human routine. More precisely, those unable—2-hour, 6-hour, 8-hour focusers—died for reasons. High focus isn't pure advantage. Natural culling to 4 hours persisted until civilization, pre-exploitation. 8-12 hour work? Recent: settled societies, classes, exploitation demanded more than 4-hour bursts. Civilization insufficient short-term. Labor hours ballooned. Modern society needs 8-12 due to advanced exploitation. Past savagery's turning point, humanity can't revert—only boost productivity or exploitation targets to loosen reins briefly. Exploitation advances. No escape. Rise and fall. That's why occasional collapse helps. Most nations don't last 500 years? Expansion blocks, decline tech. Rome, China. I chose timely pruning—chopping heads. Communists try new functions; I say impossible. For ripe fruit, cull chaff first. Concentrates nutrients. Common sense. Thus, no hereditary power. Who wants daily pruning? In the Korean Empire, co-op leader's son/daughter/relative can't lead without cause. No board seats. My rule. Only I grant exceptions—for game-changing inventions naming co-ops after them. Mostly, no. Co-op leaders even made meta-co-ops to funnel to kin. Exploited my oversight on staff. Same for high officials: during tenure, family blocked from advancement. Blocked. My decree. Tyrannical career restriction. But discovering privatized power quietly pruning? Too much hassle. Not one or two cases. Blocks talented? Is talent not halo effect? Then study abroad. Generous to proven overseas elites. Few such—comrades should self-criticize mistreating me. If power privatization eases, I'd loosen career freedom. No signs—my fault? I suffer alone.
Rosa or not, I lopped suspicious rich officials' and co-op leaders' heads today. Only I can without backlash. Local autonomy can't prevent such growth—my intervention essential. Hate it, but no one else. 'Just earn what you can— that hard?' I don't demand bribes. No inheritance or capital gains tax—hate double taxation. Admin doubles. Can't allow power inheritance, but wealth yes. Dad earns, son spends—who am I to judge? Advise lifetime gifting. Two rich better than one. Result: Korean Empire restricts residence, career freedom somewhat. High posts impossible. Never promised otherwise. Sadly, humans as beasts demand infringement. Let them resent. Not first time. Best I can: maximize productivity to cut unwanted labor, expand society sustainers. Personally await women comrades stepping up. World doesn't oblige. Force them, mere livestock. Hope they emerge. 'Britain's white feather support—make People's Women's Corps, pin white feathers on idle swans?' Don't really want to.