Volume 1: A sound on Wall Street, Xinxiang City is busy copying books Chapter 46 Nationalization
Chapter Subtitle: German Mills, English Grannies, and American Mining
So why would a neoclassical liberal master like Yuan Yanshu buy such a low-profile tabloid? Of course, it was because the editor-in-chief of this newspaper became famous in later generations.
When he first glanced at the editor-in-chief's name, he thought it was a homonym. But his curiosity was aroused and he picked it up and read the following:
"The most alarming tendency is the growing disregard for existing law and order. Whether or not this tendency is influenced by the hateful Russian rabble, this group of people, inspired by the stupid masses scattered throughout the world, seems to be driven by a rare malice..."
Isn’t this Baroque style, with its ornate and abstruse language, the trademark of that gentleman?
It was the first time that our Master Yuan knew that he was actually a racist. But even if he was really a racist, the book "The Territory of Jerusalem" was tailor-made for him, so when he passed by the post office, he sent the manuscript he brought with him.
Of course, he did not use his real name Neo Yuan, but a pseudonym. Since there is the Red Queen, then there is naturally...
Then our Master Yuan followed his new habit and came to New York University carrying a leather briefcase.
This morning, Professor Julian H. Chandler was giving an open class, and all Stern College students were allowed to attend the class. When he arrived, the open class had already started, so Yuan Yan quickly found a seat at the back and sat down.
As soon as he sat down, he heard a commotion in the large classroom that could accommodate about a hundred students. The students sitting in the front were whispering to each other excitedly, and some even stood up and danced, but no one knew what they were saying.
"Quiet! Quiet!" The Teutonic Knight standing behind the podium wanted to calm the vampire cubs below in a more gentlemanly way, "Quiet..."
"Bang!" Finally unable to appease the students, he picked up the pointer and slammed it hard on the table, and uttered a rare swear word, "Shut up!"
His shout still shocked the students. Most of them shut their mouths, and those who stood up sat down awkwardly.
Professor Chandler nodded and said, "As a gentleman, how can you make such a noise in the classroom? How can this be allowed?!"
He paused and said, "Of course, open speech is the teaching purpose of our school, and it is also my teaching philosophy. Debates are allowed in my class, but order is even more necessary. Anyone who wants to speak, please raise your hand!"
As soon as Professor Chandler finished speaking, a forest of arms grew in the classroom.
"Mr. Louis Baker, you are the first."
Mr. Baker is a graceful and bookish young man, dressed in a simple and unpretentious outfit, with golden hair neatly attached to his scalp. He is what is called a "gentleman" of that era.
He stood up and nodded to Professor Chandler in a gentlemanly manner, then half turned around and said loudly: "Mr. Professor, fellow students. I support the nationalization plan of the United Mine Workers' Union of America. Please think about it from a humanitarian perspective..."
After hearing this, Yuan Yan suddenly understood what they were talking about. Just as Mr. Baker said, American miners are launching a joint proposal, asking the current Democratic government to nationalize all mines in the United States!
The consciousness of American workers in the 1920s was not low... Bah, bah, bah. For a master of neoclassical liberalism like him, this is too reactionary.
But why in a capitalist society where private property is sacred and inviolable, where the wind can come in, the rain can come in, but the king cannot come in, would anyone so confidently demand the nationalization of private mining? And why would there be bourgeois gentlemen who agree with and defend this approach?
This involves a fundamental question, which is whether private property is truly sacred and inviolable in a capitalist society like the United States.
Unfortunately, it is not yet. The last sentence of the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution is: "Private property shall not be taken for the public use, without due process of law... and without just compensation." If we understand it the other way around, as long as due process of law and fair compensation are given, private property can be used for the public use... Hey, hey, hey, what about the sacred and inviolable private property?
After reading this, Yuan Yanshu also felt very disillusioned.
Therefore, as long as the US government enacts laws and "fairly" compensates the mine owners, it can naturally nationalize the entire US mining industry.
What makes Master Yuan feel sad is that the bourgeoisie in the 1920s knew about this, but a hundred years later, some proletarians didn't know about it, and kept talking about "German mills" and "British old ladies". With this level, you still want to be an elite? Dream on!
But he was also thankful that at least his classmates did not debate whether the mining industry could be nationalized from the beginning, but whether it should be nationalized. This level was much better than those newbies he saw on the Internet later.
It's just that Yuan Yanshu has no interest in this question. Because he is firmly in the seat, and since he is the master of neoclassical liberalism, he will definitely say "Pah" when he hears the word "nationalization". Why would he ask whether it is right or not?
Yuan Yanshu really knew Louis Baker, who was talking at the moment. This was not because this guy performed too well at NYU or was considered a number one figure in later history, but because he had a very famous grandfather. Even though our Master Yuan had been living a lazy life in Stern College for three years, he knew about Mr. George F. Baker, a close partner of J.P. Morgan and a famous banker on Wall Street. It was just that he had never had the opportunity to get close to this person before.
It is of course... a matter of course that Wall Street bankers support the nationalization of the mining industry!
State-owned enterprises no longer need financing? As a big banker, would Morgan Partners be willing to negotiate with the government, which already has a good relationship with the government and business, or would they be willing to negotiate with various mining owners with different capital backgrounds one by one? It should be clear if you think about it this way.
However, although the argument between the two parties was very intense, Master Yuan, who didn't care at all, treated it as a spam post on the forum and felt drowsy, and then he really fell asleep.
