Post by Dunwik on Aug 2, 2021 21:49:21 GMT
High Chairman Nelson took his seat at the head of the table. To his left sat Minister Of War Lucas, to his right sat Minister Of The Interior Haig. For once in their lives, both men seemed to be in perfect agreement, and that unnerved the High Chairman to an extent. The two could scarcely agree on what decade it was without copious amounts of twisting, and yet for both of them, as one, to demand a meeting on a topic was deeply disturbing. Minister Of Agriculture Lysin was present, poring over the latest market data, Minister Of Foreign Affairs Clarke had provided a sheaf of documents, but was presently busy in negotiations with some other power, and Minister Of Research And Development Arthur was overlooking some strange new contraption.
It was Nelson who spoke first, as was tradition. Rubbing his mustache between forefinger and thumb, he straightened his back and cleared his throat, his eyes turning between Haig and Lucas slowly.
"Gentlemen, I have read your documents, I have seen your proposals, and I agree. First Rodina, then Ymir, and, if this pamphlet, this Communist Manifesto I have read is in fact their beliefs... hogwash that it is," The Grand Chairman spat, "then there is serious risk of us having our rule overthrown, and for bloody purges to seize our lands, kill us all, and drive our entire economy to disaster," he sighed, rubbing his temples. Minister Of War Lucas nodded once.
"It is plain and simple that we must close our borders and perform a pre-emptive purge. If these layabouts knew about the Perfection Of Man, they would immediately try to crush such a noble project. Let us make the streets run red, before they smear it all over our banners. We must double the army at once!" Lucas suggested. Haig interjected.
"We know not where these Communists are, or in what numbers. As far as we know, there has been no call for unionization or collectivization beyond normal background chatter - and this background chatter would grow into a never-ending call for our heads should we purge! We must cut this problem out at the root - Communism itself must be disproven, rejected, laughed at in the garbage bin of history alongside such nonsense as geocentricism. No. Grand Chairman, provide the schools and universities extra funds to fight this menace, word for word, and let us prevent violence from seizing our streets. There are still men who remember the old Monarchy too, we cannot risk destabilizing our nation."
Lysin sighed and tapped his finger on the table. "For the moment, the question is food, Grand Chairman. These rebellions seem to take place when there is no food. If the worker has a meal in his stomach and a roof over his head - he will not fight us. You must provide us more land, more laborers, and more time to ensure that we have enough to fill every mouth and then some. That way, there will be no motive. There will be no threat - if nobody wants to fight, nobody will."
Nelson leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers as he thought through each offer. Each, of course, was also angling for their departments to receive more funding, as they always did. Give a man a hammer, and everything looks like a nail... Yet, he was the man to choose what tool to use for the job, and he leaned forwards.
"Minister Lucas, your prowess at war is likely unmatched in all of Dunwik, but war is not what we seek. We will keep our army at the level we have it at - any buildup may be seen as a threat by outside nations, or a threat to the Communist presence, whatever it is, within our lands. Lysin? Haig? The two of you raise good points, and good argument, but I think crushing this and profiting is something that can be done. Our recent trade deals have given us an abundance of money, and a substantial portion of this money shall be funneled to stopping the Red Menace. To wit, seventy percent of this portion towards shoring up our agriculture - as this has many applications aside from suppressing revolt, twenty percent towards the ideological attack, and the remaining ten, that shall be used in the worst case scenario for war, should our preventative measures fall. I will get Clarke on the wire and we will begin anti-Communist negotiations elsewhere, if others are as threatened by this tide as us. I believe the Sheenish and Sadalen would be most in danger, the former are a heavily industrial state with many workers like us, the latter have slaves, whose simple minds would take to this simple poison very quickly. In coming days, I will task him to inform those states of this threat - if they have no knowledge already - and of what means we are using to stop it."
With that, the Grand Chairman produced a sheaf of paper, and began drawing out his plans to destroy the Revolution before it ever started.
It was Nelson who spoke first, as was tradition. Rubbing his mustache between forefinger and thumb, he straightened his back and cleared his throat, his eyes turning between Haig and Lucas slowly.
"Gentlemen, I have read your documents, I have seen your proposals, and I agree. First Rodina, then Ymir, and, if this pamphlet, this Communist Manifesto I have read is in fact their beliefs... hogwash that it is," The Grand Chairman spat, "then there is serious risk of us having our rule overthrown, and for bloody purges to seize our lands, kill us all, and drive our entire economy to disaster," he sighed, rubbing his temples. Minister Of War Lucas nodded once.
"It is plain and simple that we must close our borders and perform a pre-emptive purge. If these layabouts knew about the Perfection Of Man, they would immediately try to crush such a noble project. Let us make the streets run red, before they smear it all over our banners. We must double the army at once!" Lucas suggested. Haig interjected.
"We know not where these Communists are, or in what numbers. As far as we know, there has been no call for unionization or collectivization beyond normal background chatter - and this background chatter would grow into a never-ending call for our heads should we purge! We must cut this problem out at the root - Communism itself must be disproven, rejected, laughed at in the garbage bin of history alongside such nonsense as geocentricism. No. Grand Chairman, provide the schools and universities extra funds to fight this menace, word for word, and let us prevent violence from seizing our streets. There are still men who remember the old Monarchy too, we cannot risk destabilizing our nation."
Lysin sighed and tapped his finger on the table. "For the moment, the question is food, Grand Chairman. These rebellions seem to take place when there is no food. If the worker has a meal in his stomach and a roof over his head - he will not fight us. You must provide us more land, more laborers, and more time to ensure that we have enough to fill every mouth and then some. That way, there will be no motive. There will be no threat - if nobody wants to fight, nobody will."
Nelson leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers as he thought through each offer. Each, of course, was also angling for their departments to receive more funding, as they always did. Give a man a hammer, and everything looks like a nail... Yet, he was the man to choose what tool to use for the job, and he leaned forwards.
"Minister Lucas, your prowess at war is likely unmatched in all of Dunwik, but war is not what we seek. We will keep our army at the level we have it at - any buildup may be seen as a threat by outside nations, or a threat to the Communist presence, whatever it is, within our lands. Lysin? Haig? The two of you raise good points, and good argument, but I think crushing this and profiting is something that can be done. Our recent trade deals have given us an abundance of money, and a substantial portion of this money shall be funneled to stopping the Red Menace. To wit, seventy percent of this portion towards shoring up our agriculture - as this has many applications aside from suppressing revolt, twenty percent towards the ideological attack, and the remaining ten, that shall be used in the worst case scenario for war, should our preventative measures fall. I will get Clarke on the wire and we will begin anti-Communist negotiations elsewhere, if others are as threatened by this tide as us. I believe the Sheenish and Sadalen would be most in danger, the former are a heavily industrial state with many workers like us, the latter have slaves, whose simple minds would take to this simple poison very quickly. In coming days, I will task him to inform those states of this threat - if they have no knowledge already - and of what means we are using to stop it."
With that, the Grand Chairman produced a sheaf of paper, and began drawing out his plans to destroy the Revolution before it ever started.