Spring of the Korean Empire #2
Truth be told, most people don't really understand what a democratic revolution is. The name sounds nice and all, but it's because all sorts of things rise up under that banner of "democratic revolution." Grab any random person off the street and ask if they'd revolt, and they'll just say, "But isn't that already a revolution?" What sets a democratic revolution apart from others is that it's simply the revolution where the people of the nation become its masters.
The problem was that even the people themselves struggled to grasp what "the people" really meant, and turning that into reality was no easy feat. Hand them a flag, and what rises up is fascism. Tell the masses to "rise up," and they grow mustaches instead. That's why the chaos of the Weimar Republic or the Great Depression created the perfect breeding ground for fascism to flourish wildly. It's a headache-inducing problem, way more complicated than you'd imagine.
But even so, democratization had to happen. One hand can't beat ten. Only in a nation where the people are masters will they work for their country. Hell, it's their country, after all.
Up to now, the Korean Empire had been a revolutionary state, but methodologically quite nationalist. People were always suspicious we'd crown an emperor or go full Bonaparte tomorrow. We've succeeded so far, but will that hold? Sure, the Steel Revolution, Electric Revolution, Chemical Revolution, Fertilizer Revolution—those we can chalk up to progress. But the Electronic Revolution, Financial Revolution, Service Revolution? The state's hand doesn't reach into the digital world.
So we have to tidy up this national power, the local autonomous power, right up to the eve of the Great Depression, hand it over to the private sector, and create a new state power with proper separation. Talk about a time attack—no margin for error. Especially since the Great Depression could hit tomorrow.
Even if I adopted the silver standard to buy time for the gold standard, it's already in its twilight years. The Great Depression is coming, no doubt, and who knows when. But that's exactly why we had to teach the people—right now—what it means to be masters of their nation. Otherwise, when the Depression hits and fascism follows, democracy be damned; it'll all get pinned on communists and immigrants 100%.
Having already given them the vote? No issue there. But they'll be shunned as citizens by those very citizens. And the fact that we're somewhat communist? Won't matter. Communism was most persecuted in its own homeland, the Soviet Union. No telling under what pretext the purges will come, but once they do, we'll turn into some kind of "Chosun"—North Chosun, East Chosun, West Chosun. Straight-up national suicide.
From that moment, the nation gets a death sentence, forced into a Nazi-style plunder economy, racing against time. "There's absolutely no reason to let that happen." Why gamble when we've set up a winning board? The Korean Empire could just build wonders in the world's corner while everyone else slugs it out.
Right now, alongside the existing Qinghe River canal, we're jointly building a massive canal linking the Black Sea, Caspian Sea, and Aral Sea with the Soviets. Economically? Utter madness. But if it's the price for Soviet goodwill and that of Central Asian ethnic groups in their territory, I can stomach it. The economic hit buys universal awe and fear instead.
Anyone can do economically viable projects—bid them out, subcontract. Even a cat's paw print works. Only the economically disastrous, high-risk ventures that scream potential failure earn true reverence. Hoover Dam was dismissed as money pit nonsense until it was built and reevaluated.
More importantly, anyone seeing that canal will want to cozy up to the Korean Empire. Statues can be toppled; canals, with their sheer necessity, can't—locals would riot first. "Environmentally, it's a disaster, but urbanization's like that." Or just restore nature proportionally, right? If needed, I could turn Gangwon Province—minus the coast—into a gigantic potato field. Nah, a national park. No real need, though. Still, as our water source, it's a lingering concern.
Fascism always promises living space. Those swayed by it are precisely those short on it. Like communism reeling in poor peasants, fascism hooks the masses edged out by society: homeless, single men, orphans, disabled vets. Diverse groups, diverse grievances.
Funny thing: communism exploited those peasants for heavy industry; fascism used the marginalized to marginalize other minorities. So with fascism looming, I had to secure living space—not on maps, but for every individual. That's how you vaccinate against it.
Fascists claim restoring the "Volk" fixes it, but pan-ethnicism debunks that. Only when people can stroll carefree, stretch out, and sleep easy does fascism get quarantined. Just like communism needs folks fed to fend off revolt. With new apartments finishing en masse post-cabinet shuffle, easing residency transfers? Or prioritize jobs: join a co-op there, then move residence? "Won't help much. They'll just charge fees."
Slapping urbanization onto democratization might work somewhat, but it's just extending what we've done. "Anything without side effects? We already did it." So if we're loosening residency, go all in. Half-measures mean half-assed management and distortion.
He sniffed the coal smoke, trying to understand humanity better. Is selling high-development zones and enabling residency transfers enough? Cheap now, but later? Investment immigration levels. Despite myths that building apartments drops prices, my future knowledge says no—prices rise regardless. Volume ratios hike them, but supply doesn't crash them. Prices tank only with depopulation, usually national collapse.
No matter how well I plan cities, suppress school districts, theme urban areas—even then, allowing apartment trades means prices climb relentlessly, outpacing wages. Wages accumulate into apartment values. Income inequality? Amplifies it further.
Better tackle inequality head-on—top of the wealth stream, less effort. Apartments? Bottom of the barrel. River-flipping work. Flows into life metrics: birth rates, productivity, sleep, hobbies.
For the Korean Empire, fixing inequality via co-ops and side gigs, suppressing apartment hikes means banning cars forever—no traffic jams—or taxis only. Taxi fares on open roads beat horse manure haulers all day. London ran them fine. Correction: still rumbling outside at midnight, noisy as hell. "Horses and people must have night blindness or something. No deaths yet."
"Can't fathom why people flock to London. Coal and horse shit everywhere." No private cars means no jams, curbed apartment rises—living space expands. Mass transit widens it, reducing pricey apartment obsession. Rail and trams hold prices now, but scaling urbanization hits limits. Need other transit.
"Apartment redevelopment can't skip it." Subways. Station precincts. Wanted them ages ago, but impossible for Korean Empire. Same peninsula bedrock: granite heaven for high-rises, hell for tunneling. North Koreans digging under whole South? Send their infiltration boss here reincarnated—I'd love the secret.
Even mountain tunnels hurt. 20th-century us outstrips North Korea economically/tech-wise—how? Spill the beans. Pine cone grenades or something? Would help canals too. Britain's vaunted tunnel tech? GG'd by our granite. They suggest elevated rail—we have trams. Need subways.
Routes planned, sites prepped, consensus secured—tech bottleneck stalls it. Tunnels tolerate blasts; subways don't. Can't amp firepower on granite—turtle pace. Tunnels crawl forward; subways? Might as well dig another canal. At least unlimited explosives.
"But subways are essential." East Asian weather's brutal; rare quakes maximize benefits. Even in future nuclear war or winter—who knows, they might eye us.
Bang bang bang bang.
"Your Excellency! Your Excellency! It's me!!"
"What."
"Project O."
O? Oil? That Southeast Asia joint venture? Urgent enough for midnight sprint? Sadly, comrade thought assassin—drew pistol first. Democratizing Korea killing me now? Massive ripples. So I hid in Britain's heart, London. My death tanks them too. Dictators stash slush funds here for the shield.
"No! Oil discovered in the Korean Empire. That deep spot Your Excellency suspected."
"Now?"
What. Democratizing, and oil gushes after 1,000+ dry holes? Ancestors blessing the democracy spreader? Still, midnight hysterics.
He lit his cigarette slowly. Flame flickered.
"Commercial oil? Taxis worry-free here." Subways can wait my lifetime. Domestic oil means oil taxis patch the gap, not electric. War? Fold enemies in half carefree.