The Necessity of the Kaiser (2)
Stahl had a tendency to leave the fundamental, utterly incurable problems of the Austro-Hungarian Empire well enough alone. The prime example of this was the ethnic issue.
There were a few problems that Stahl could never have solved, even if he had reincarnated not empty-handed, but with a cheat-like status window. Chief among them was the Kaiser issue.
Was an absolute monarchy even remotely viable in the twentieth century? Stahl had managed to bury the issue temporarily by implementing constitutional reforms. Nevertheless, unless he completely overthrew the state, the question of the monarchy could never be truly resolved. Why? Because the Austro-Hungarian Empire was a nation that simply could not exist without the House of Habsburg.
In the original timeline, the empire had shattered into at least four or five different nations after the First World War. It was glaringly obvious what would happen if they transitioned to a republic and the empire dissolved.
The day after the old Emperor's passing, Archduke Franz Ferdinand naturally ascended as Ferdinand II. Now, only the formal declaration of his reign before parliament remained. Of course, he still had to obtain approval from the hollowed-out Hungarian parliament and undergo a formal coronation. To become the Kaiser of the entire Empire rather than just the Kaiser of Austria, he still needed time.
It was during this precarious transitional period—just before the Austrian Kaiser could fully solidify his grip as the Emperor of the entire realm—that Franz Konrad von Hötzendorf delivered his masterstroke.
"I, too, have learned a great deal from this recent conflict. Whether it is reducing other ethnicities to servitude or maintaining any form of class system, such institutions inevitably lead to ruin."
It was exactly the kind of rhetoric Stahl usually spouted. The rivalry between Stahl and the aristocratic faction led by Hötzendorf was public knowledge. Seeing a high-ranking noble take the stage and echo Stahl's very words left the crowd utterly bewildered.
"What... what is wrong with that man?"
"Did he eat something poisonous?"
Hötzendorf smiled faintly as he observed the crowd's reaction.
"The time has come to dismantle these archaic, outdated evils. I stand before you today to boldly declare that I will stop at nothing to tear down every form of class discrimination. Speaking as the Chief of the General Staff, with full authority over the reform of our military academies, I declare that our officer schools will no longer differentiate based on social rank."
Naturally, anyone from the middle class or the bourgeoisie could now theoretically gain admission. However, the first real hurdle was mastering German. Yet, this was hardly a major obstacle. German was already the administrative language one had to learn to get ahead in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Furthermore, was Germany not their most vital ally and export market? With a rich tradition in both academia and administration, German was simply a highly advantageous language to know. There were perfectly rational reasons for German to remain dominant.
An onlooker in the crowd shouted toward Hötzendorf.
"Does that mean there will be absolutely no discrimination in admissions?!"
"Precisely. The system of securing admission through family recommendation letters will be abolished. Whether you are a noble or a commoner, everyone must sit for the exact same entrance exam."
"But won't commoners still be passed over for promotions?"
"At the very least, as long as I, Hötzendorf, hold this post, no such thing will ever happen."
To gain something, one had to give something up. To secure his prize, Hötzendorf stripped the nobility of their exclusive monopoly over the military. It was a move highly reminiscent of Stahl reaching out to the aristocracy when establishing the Austrian Agricultural Cooperative. By opening up the military, he was breaking out of a closed, insular structure and extending his reach to a much broader power base.
"Our power comes solely from bloodline? What a joke. In this day and age, the only one whose power derives from blood is the Kaiser. The rest are just obsolete old relics."
As mentioned before, even if Hötzendorf was an incompetent general when it came to actual warfare, he at least possessed the will and capability for administrative reform. Expanding the army's scale and mobilizing vast amounts of supplies and manpower would have been incredibly difficult without him. Perhaps Hötzendorf was better suited to be the Minister of War rather than the Chief of the General Staff. Had he held that post, he might never have clashed with Stahl in the first place. He was a man who was dreadfully incompetent in certain areas, yet remarkably flexible and capable in others.
"This is only the beginning. Ultimately, my goal is to ensure that all forms of class systems—any authority derived from 'bloodline'—are completely eradicated from our empire."
Any rational thinker would immediately recognize this as a demand for republicanism. However, upon hearing Hötzendorf's next words, the public's minds went completely numb, rendering them incapable of rational judgment.
"I am no longer a 'noble.' I am no longer Count Franz Xaver Josef Conrad von Hötzendorf. As of today, I am simply Franz Konrad-Hötzendorf."
The spectators listening to the speech gaped in sheer disbelief at this unimaginable declaration. It felt as though they had been struck squarely on the head with a sledgehammer. Unbothered, Franz Konrad-Hötzendorf pressed on.
"Biologically, all human beings are identical. Therefore, we must be equal under the law as well. Follow my lead, fellow nobles! Admit it—under God, you too are merely human!"
A heavy, suffocating silence fell over the crowd once more. But soon, a thunderous roar of cheers and applause erupted.
"Whoa...!"
"My God!"
"Long live Konrad-Hötzendorf!"
"Long live Stahlism!"
Hearing the crowd invoke Stahlism, Hötzendorf smirked inwardly once again.
"Chairman Stahl! Leader of Stahlism! Answer me! Are all men equal? Has every human being received equal authority from God? Are all forms of class systems archaic customs that must be abolished? Answer me!"
Any politician worth their salt would immediately grasp the hidden trap behind those words. Should Archduke Franz Ferdinand truly become the Kaiser? If Franz Ferdinand was just an ordinary man like anyone else, then by what right did he claim the throne? Conversely, if Franz Ferdinand possessed a special, inherent right to be the Kaiser, then did the nobility not also possess their own special rights?
"Indeed, Stahl. Will you protect the Kaiser and expose yourself as a conservative hypocrite? Or will you abandon the Kaiser and walk the path of a cold-blooded politician?"
Stahl's decision to stubbornly hold onto his position as Chairman had now backfired spectacularly. Even if Stahl were to run in a formal election and enter parliament, he would never enjoy his current absolute, unchecked power, at least not until the next election. The twin pillars of Stahl's authority were the overwhelming support of the masses and the absolute trust of the Kaiser. If even one of those pillars crumbled, his power would be drastically curtailed.
"What will you do, Stahl?"
Naturally, what Hötzendorf truly wanted was for Stahl to shield the Kaiser. That way, Stahl would suffer an even greater loss of public support. Yet, on a personal level, he secretly hoped Stahl would prove to be a ruthless pragmatist who would cut ties with Archduke Franz Ferdinand.
"You arrogant bastard. Do you think you're the only one who's always right, the only one who's compassionate, the only one who's human? At this point, you too must make a choice as a politician. Power or affection? It's obvious. You'll choose power."
"...What if we simply ignore it and offer no response?"
"Hötzendorf has already become an overnight superstar, a rising political force in Vienna. If we do not take action... the Austro-Hungarian Empire might truly become a republic."
"..."
A republic, indeed. Let us set aside the question of the empire's weakening for now. Let us also set aside the talk of power. Had I still been in my youth, I would have chosen a republican revolution without a second thought. Yet, the face of Archduke Franz Ferdinand—no, Ferdinand II—kept flashing before my eyes. Without that man, none of the magical things we accomplished would have been possible.
Even in the face of this critical, life-threatening political assault, memories of the past kept drifting back to me. I remembered dragging the Archduke to the Vienna Slums to take a group photo. Those people from back then must now hold positions in the party, government agencies, or the Agricultural Cooperative. How did we first meet? Ah, right. He rescued me when I was locked up in a prison cell. I was so young back then. It feels strange to say this while still inhabiting such a youthful body, but... in terms of total years lived, I am actually older than Franz. Yes... my best friend is, without a doubt, Franz.
I made my decision.
"We must protect Archduke Franz Ferdinand."
"...Are you certain? Chairman, we have no justification!"
"Justification?"
"Yes, Chairman. To be completely frank... I am disappointed."
"Pardon?"
"I never imagined you would be someone who defends the class system."
My aide looked at me with deep disappointment. That was how devastating Hötzendorf's blow had been. I had faced many political rivals since Karl Lueger, but none had ever launched an attack this powerful against me. I shook my head.
"I know this is an outdated, regressive move. I will face immense criticism for it. Future history books written about me will undoubtedly label this decision as a 'stain' on my legacy."
"If you know that, then why on earth...!"
"Because I am human. I cannot abandon a friend to whom I owe so much."
"You have repaid that debt many times over. Furthermore, Chairman, if a friend asked you to commit an illegal act for their sake, would you do it?"
Lacking a proper rebuttal, I resorted to a standard, principled argument. Of course, my aide easily shut that down as well.
"...It is not like that. This is for the sake of the empire. Without the Kaiser, the empire will dissolve."
"That is not true. Have you not worked tirelessly precisely to prevent such an outcome? Even if there is temporary chaos, the nation will remain united under the network of Agricultural Cooperatives established across the regions."
"If the Kaiser abdicates, my own authority will be severely diminished for a time. That would be detrimental to the state..."
"Does that even matter? Even if you take a break for about three years, you will easily reclaim power through parliament."
Well, I had absolutely no counterargument. As I fell silent, my aide spoke to me in a gentle, persuasive tone.
"Chairman... the future of this nation rests upon your shoulders. I know what kind of person you are, but you must abandon the Kaiser. That is the only way you will survive."
"..."
"Chairman, please look at this." My aide handed me a slip of paper containing a telegram sent by the Kaiser.
Stahl, do as your heart guides you. I am always grateful to you.
This was incredibly unfair. Receiving a telegram like this made it utterly impossible to do "as my heart guided me." I shook my head.
"The monarch's authority may need to be weakened. However, a monarch is still necessary."
"Why?"
"Because they are the very reason for this vast empire's existence."
"Pardon?"
"If Hungary were to hold a legitimate referendum and vote to secede from the empire—or rather, the federation—by what means could we possibly stop them?"
Once I resolved to protect the monarchy centered around Franz Ferdinand, the logic to support it would naturally follow. After all, I had personally witnessed the most famous kingdom and queen of the twenty-first century—the United Kingdom and Elizabeth II. I had seen the role they played. Commonwealth nations like Australia and Canada all possessed their own independent parliaments. What bound them together was the Queen as their head of state. It was none other than an archaic monarchy that preserved the Commonwealth. The justification for a king's existence had always been centered around being a "symbol of national unity."
"Why on earth must Austria and Hungary remain bound as one?"
"Well, because they are the same nation..."
"They are not. Even if we were to become a republic, this very territory and this national composition are legacies left behind by the Habsburgs. Even if the empire transitions into a republic, it should not be through a violent revolution, but through a legitimate transfer of sovereignty from the Habsburgs. Let me make this absolutely clear: this empire is the legacy of the House of Habsburg. That is the reason I intend to protect Archduke Franz Ferdinand."
"If that is the case..."
"This alone will not suffice. We must define it clearly and unequivocally. We must establish how the 'King' is defined under Stahlism."
Sigh, this is truly no easy task. Even though I was a philosophy undergraduate in my past life, doing this entirely on my own is daunting. Whom should I turn to for help? Trotsky... is not on our side. And looking back at Hitler's authorship of that monstrous, unprecedented abomination of a book in the original history, he clearly possesses zero talent as a theorist.
"Prepare the aircraft. Going to Vienna right now would be a bit awkward. I must meet Stalin in Prague."
"Understood, Chairman."
Ah, right. There was also someone I had deliberately erased from my memory for a while because of how awkward it felt.
"I should also meet with my brother-in-law, Ludwig Wittgenstein."
"Pardon?"
"He is rumored to be quite the genius. Please contact Cambridge University."