Chapter 388 Industrial Farm Goes Online
In this era, only the industrialized large-scale farm model can rapidly promote the development of agricultural production technology.
For farmers, although they take good care of their land, they are unable to improve agricultural technology due to lack of funds and technology.
At the same time, small farmers are also very conservative.
Joseph remembered that French farmers in the 19th century still maintained ancient farming habits and liked to use the simplest and cheapest agricultural tools. At the same time, they resolutely resist planting cash crops. After all, only when the granary is filled with food can the family feel at ease.
Large farms with capital support are not there for food and clothing, but for higher profits!
With pressure on profit margins, they must constantly upgrade new agricultural machinery, develop more advanced planting technologies, try more expensive but better new fertilizers, and plant crops with higher economic value.
This will greatly promote the development of France's agriculture and industry.
Yes, farming is also the basis for industrial development.
The simplest point is that the British textile industry relies on massive amounts of self-produced wool and South Asian cotton to dominate the world.
If France wants to challenge Britain in the textile industry, it must first have sufficient cotton production. If all farmers grow food, it will be impossible to come close to the UK in terms of cost if they rely solely on imported cotton.
In addition, France's traditional advantage in the textile industry, silk, also requires the planting of a large number of mulberry trees.
These are projects most suitable for large-scale industrial farms.
People like Mirabeau have a very keen sense of things that can make money. The crown prince gave them some guidance and immediately realized the broad "money" prospects of the new manor in the future.
Coupled with the benefits of the land purchase system, they immediately decided to invest a large amount of money and enter the market of industrialized estates to compete.
Of course, the reason why Joseph wants to vigorously develop agricultural service consulting companies is to use a unified management model to bring scattered small farmers together so that they can be competitive with large farms to a certain extent.
Seeing Viscount Dico still excitedly talking about the bright future of the new manor, Mirabeau just smiled and dealt with it.
What he was thinking about at this time was what His Royal Highness the Crown Prince said to him a few days ago.
His Highness mentioned that after the industrialized farms were put into operation, the land that originally required three to four hundred people to be cultivated may only need less than 100 workers after the extensive use of livestock, machinery and new agricultural tools, and the implementation of strict standardized management. Be well organized.
He quickly thought, where will the remaining two to three hundred people go?
There is only one answer: that is, they can only go to big cities to make a living. In addition, with the help of agricultural service consulting companies, ordinary farmer families no longer need all family members to participate in farming to ensure land output. When it is difficult to purchase more than 30 acres of land per person, they can have free time. family members will also go to the city to earn money.
After these people flow into the city, factories will become extremely manpower-rich, and one of the biggest factors restricting factory expansion will disappear.
And these people living in cities have to buy all the necessities of life, which means they will bring a huge consumer market.
After foreseeing this, Mirabeau repeatedly calculated and found that investing in large farms at this time was not as profitable as laying out textiles, steel and other industries that require a lot of manpower in advance.
So, he just bought some land suitable for investment and prepared to sell it as soon as the value of the land increased. Most of his funds were invested in the automatic loom factory in Lyon, and a small part was invested in the coal mines of the Southern Netherlands.
Well, the latter actually invested in it on the advice of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. Although the place was still raging with war, he believed in His Highness's vision. Actually, Mirabeau still missed something.
Joseph had thought of the possibility of land speculation as early as half a year ago - he had experienced the real estate boom in the early 21st century, and was familiar with the tricks of major companies to speculate on land - so he had already proposed in the "Grain Yield Act" Mine was laid.
As long as the land is designated as farmland by the government, the buyer must immediately fulfill the obligation to achieve a certain mu of yield after obtaining the ownership of the land. Even if the land is sold, all landholders during the planting season will be jointly and severally liable if minimum yields are not achieved during the harvest season.
Of course, this does not include disaster situations.
Therefore, Mr. Mirabeau will find that he must sow the land immediately after purchasing it, otherwise he will face fines until the land is forced to be auctioned by the High Court!
While the capital aristocrats were thinking about how to invest to maximize their profits, nearly half of the petitioners in front of the Petit Trianon still looked nervous, and some even had the "King's Fund Application Form" in their hands. "Crumped into a ball and threw it on the ground.
They are the "young people" among the nobles, perhaps because they have little land and receive limited annual tribute, or perhaps because their lives are so luxurious that they cannot make ends meet. In short, they have no spare money at all. Many people even relied on loans to maintain their lives - maintaining dresses for various occasions, paying living expenses for illegitimate children, participating in routine salons, hunting or gambling, all required a large amount of silver coins. These are the basic elements of life for the nobles of Versailles.
They have no money to invest in the King's Fund, which means that in 8 years they will be cut off from their source of income and starve to death.
Soon, a tall aristocrat with curly hair that obviously lacked maintenance took a few steps forward against the crowd of people subscribing to the fund, and said loudly to the crown prince on the steps:
"Your Highness, land tax is the traditional right of the nobles. It is the honor bestowed by the old king to our ancestors. You cannot abolish it so easily!"
Echoes immediately came from the surroundings:
“Yes, we want traditional rights, not funds!”
"I inherited those Nian Gong from my father, and it deserves to be respected!"
Joseph just looked at these people indifferently. He had expected this to happen and had already made plans.
These nobles who do not subscribe to the King's Fund are the poorest group, so their influence is also the weakest, but we must also take into account the damage they may cause to the country when they live in poverty.
It was in this situation that the civil servant named Li from Dongfang directly overturned an empire.
Joseph coughed lightly, looked sharply at the tall noble who jumped out first, and said coldly:
"Perhaps you remember how your ancestors obtained their fiefdoms?"
The latter was a little stunned by the sudden question: "Yes, yes..."
Joseph pointed at him forcefully:
"It was they who followed the king's army and used their unparalleled bravery and fearlessness on the battlefield to win their own glory!"
(End of chapter)