Cash Scatter: Louis XVI's Italian Expedition
Louis XVI's Italian expedition was more political and economic in nature than military.
"Do you know what the advantage—and the flaw—of capitalism is?"
"I'm not entirely sure, Sire."
"It's that it moves according to desire."
Under the pretext of the expedition, Louis XVI scattered cash across Italy.
"May I truly work for wages?"
They laid supply routes—in other words, massive civil engineering projects—paying laborers daily wages for paving roads.
"Of course. The roads on Principality of Piombino land should be paved by the people of Piombino. Who else would build Piombino's roads if not you?"
These grand public works were labor-intensive, but precisely because they demanded so much labor, they allowed vast sums of cash to be distributed to countless Italian workers.
"This section will be supervised by a French engineering sergeant, so take the chance to learn some skills."
"Thank you!"
Above all, the justification of building supply routes minimized resistance from nobles and lords.
"France must be overflowing with money."
Pure cash handouts naturally aroused suspicion, but quid pro quo payments—even if a bit generous—were dismissed as the largesse of a hegemonic power or simple charity.
"Life's finally worth living again."
France's cash injections instantly rescued nations still flailing in the mire of promissory note scams and famine.
"Build those supply routes sturdy. The truce should hold for about a year."
France spent nearly 20 million francs on these 'supply routes,' but Louis XVI classified the construction costs and wages as diplomatic expenditures, not military ones.
"Henri, what are you doing?"
"Uh... Captain. An Italian woman just passed by and kissed me."
As diplomatic costs to boost Italian goodwill toward France.
"Lucky bastard. I was handsome in my youth too."
Beyond that, Louis XVI dumped massive amounts of supplies along the routes. Naturally, this aid ended the famine across the Italian peninsula.
"Who threw those flowers?"
"Just wave back. You'll be getting flowers from now on."
As a result, Italians had no choice but to adore the French who had ended their famine.
"Everyone! We must become enlightened. France paving roads in Italy means they could conquer us anytime!"
"What nonsense."
As French favorability in Italy skyrocketed, rumors that might have spread in normal times were quashed in an instant, and any worrisome concerns were buried just as swiftly.
"Italy wasn't suffering because of France—it was revived thanks to France."
With local sentiment at its peak, France paved supply routes as smoothly as if laying roads on home soil.
"The Arno River? Time to use those British steel rebars."
France employed reinforced concrete techniques for the supply routes, bridging rivers impossible with traditional methods and carving a near-straight path—by this era's standards—to Udine.
"I knew the French lived well, but I had no idea it was this good."
Moreover, French supply units stopped at roadside inns and shops, revitalizing local economies.
"Damn it. Our city's official roads are inferior to French supply routes."
"That's not all. The French supply troops don't even carry deniers. I tried to give change for 10 deniers, but they told me to keep it. They bought a 2-denier item and insisted I keep the 10! Deniers are pocket change to the French!"
This inadvertently bred national resentment in the minor states where roads were built, souring public sentiment.
Yet the governments of these Italian minor states couldn't utter a single complaint to France.
"If your brother-in-law paves your roads, you say thank you. What's with all the chatter?"
Most were puppet states under the Grand Duchy of Tuscany's thumb. Marie Antoinette's brother, Grand Duke Leopold II of Tuscany, actively cooperated with the supply route construction, mistakenly believing France's troop deployment aimed to build a forward base for rescuing his pensioned brother, Joseph II of Austria.
Of course, it was a delusion on Leopold II's part.
But that delusion wasn't entirely bad for Italy.
"Hey, it's a fine day—why roll around in the corner? Let's get to work."
As mentioned, French supply route projects prioritized local laborers.
"British steel rods and lime mortar? That's for river bridges. Regular roads use crushed stone and bricks. So come on, let's go break some rocks. You can earn about 2 francs a day if you keep your hands busy."
Of course, France had to watch costs, so hires were mostly beggars and the unemployed.
"If our land were bigger, I could've worked till next month. What a shame."
Moreover, the French construction boom taught beggars and jobless across states the taste of honest work.
"Let's live proper lives. Even after the roads are done, there's no shortage of work in the world. Time to head to the docks and haul sacks. It's way safer and steadier than pickpocketing."
Impoverished near-criminals learned to work and, with seed money in hand, escaped slums in search of jobs.
"I heard you're hiring."
"French supply troops bought up all my stock lately. Got the grit to work straight?"
"Yes! I'll stake my life here!"
"Stake your bones in church, work at your job. Come here. Do some odd jobs, and I'll teach you the ropes."
Once absorbed into supply route work, these slum dwellers followed the roads upon completion, finding jobs where hands were short.
Thanks to this, slums in Italian minor states emptied rapidly.
"We timed it perfectly."
The minor states seized the chance to raze the slums.
"Aigoo, my home!"
"That's no home—it's a tent! Shut up, you criminal."
The pretext was purging criminal organizations and urban renewal, but reconstruction was the real goal.
"You built those eyesores; you clean them up."
"Waaah..."
Governments used guards to force slum criminals to demolish their own shacks.
"I only stole one loaf of bread!"
"One campagne loaf?"
Innocents occasionally ended up imprisoned, but this was the 18th century.
"Light or heavy doesn't matter—crime is crime."
The elite didn't fuss over such trifles.
"Refreshing. We can build new districts here."
Human rights were mere scholars' jargon in this era.
"Don't worry about the money. 1.5 million francs should suffice. Build new cities—factories, farms, whatever."
Using millions in francs received from France under the guise of military passage rights, minor state governments redeveloped slums.
"Build a central structure first to draw people around it."
"What? Obviously pave big roads first to boost traffic."
"Buildings should be the core, no?"
"Studied architecture on your own? Roads first, obviously."
Architects debated minor points during reconstruction, but arguments didn't drag on.
"People are gathering along the French roads?"
"Too many, and only fancy shops are popping up?"
"They're even extending roads to their own stores?"
One major road sufficed to spawn proto-cities around it.
French supply routes drew in artisans from nearby villages; artisans drew merchants; merchants birthed markets.
Villages became residential towns, supply route hubs commercial cities.
"Buildings can be slotted in later, but repaving roads means demolishing them. Roads first. New cities start from roads."
Witnessing this, minor state governments began their new cities from roads.
"I came for the job openings."
"Experience?"
"I crushed stone for three weeks on a French road project."
French supply route veterans staffed these works.
"Oh? Then you know French-style roads somewhat?"
It was simply that the higher-ups admired France.
"Well, the basics..."
Opportunities overflowed.
"You know it, then?"
They swiftly became road specialists, linking new cities to French supply routes.
Intervening villages benefited, turning into relay towns.
"It's the Appian Way now. No—even better."
This civil engineering boom fully normalized northern Italy.
Centered on French supply routes, scattered commerce, planned roads by local lords led to new urban frontiers in mid-sized cities, with relay villages in between turning the roads themselves into a vast market.
"Innkeeper here? French supply unit—room for the night?"
"Ah, yes. 8 deniers per person per night. Supper and breakfast add 1 sol each."
"8 deniers? The last village was 6."
"This place is more prosperous."
France's construction boom caused roadside inflation, but
"No big deal. Our allowances are generous."
French supply troops received ample deployment pay, so no issue.
"Soldier uncles! Breakfast's ready!"
"Mm. Eat up quick. Wait—what's that?"
"Grilled locusts?"
Minor gripes arose from France's hegemonic status driving high standards for soldiers' consumer goods, but
"Damn. Here's an extra sol each—bring bread, soup, salami."
"Sir, with the recent famine, that costs 1 franc per person."
"Fine. Clear away that revolting stuff."
Money solved everything.
"Jackpot. Suckers."
Italian merchants stocked luxuries to match French 'refined tastes.'
"Money's multiplying. Sweet. So sweet."
Most goods matching French demands were luxuries, allowing high margins.
"Still cheap compared to our stipends."
Even high margins were Italian-level—half French prices or less, as Europe's hegemon.
Naturally, all this was Louis XVI's design.
"Your Majesty, the paid aid operation in Italy succeeded. This quarter's trade balance with the peninsula shows a 0.3% deficit."
"Good."
Laying Appian Way-grade highways in northern Italy, absorbing unemployed and beggars, funding slum clearances and new cities—all
"Too much surplus is a headache too."
part of a ploy to restore France's currency dominance over Italy, eroded by excessive trade surpluses.