The wars in Europe during the First Industrial Revolution were, in a sense, a struggle between Lilliputia.

This is due to the fact that from the end of the eighteenth century to the middle of the nineteenth century, the height of Europeans regressed significantly compared to the Middle Ages.

France's conscription standard has dropped to less than 1.6 meters, and the height pass rate of conscripts is less than half. The standard for conscription in Germany has also been reduced to less than 1.57 meters, and a third of the conscripts are still eliminated. Even, on the Mediterranean coast of southern Europe, the number of recruits who are less than 1.5 meters tall can be as high as 70 percent.

Obviously, mankind has stepped into the threshold of the industrial age, but ushered in an extremely bloody era. During this period, the income of workers was only one-half of that of a hundred years ago, and the income of peasants was only two-thirds of that of a hundred years ago. The living conditions of ordinary people have deteriorated to the trough of the entire history of European civilization, and their physical fitness is naturally worse or worse, and the lower limit of height has been repeatedly refreshed.

It is often said that history is advancing, and times are advancing. However, the arrival of a seemingly bright new era does not mean that it will bring the gospel to all at the same time. Even though the social productive forces have been greatly improved, and the great abundance of material products in the past 100 years has exceeded the sum of the previous human history, if a fair pattern of distribution of interests is not created, the situation of the people at the bottom will not only not be improved, but may also sink even more.

A French train roars south through the wilderness, from the Paris region to the Pyrenees on the border with Spain.

At the top of the carriage, the ninth and tenth sisters sat comfortably and watched the scenery along the road.

The two visited museums and opera houses in Paris that they had never been to before. Didn't catch the train schedule. Then he bullied the current steam power speed is not very fast, and chased a column directly from the rails. Jump above the carriage.

"Little sword, look. Ji Lingxing pointed to the crowd that appeared along the road, "These ordinary people are as skinny as wood. Being oppressed and exploited to such an extent that the class contradictions are really higher than the sky and deeper than the sea. ”

Ji Aojian responded, "Ninth Sister, what you said is good. ”

"Look at it again, those nobles are a lot taller than the poor, as long as they stand together, they look out of the crowd, and they are distinct. ”

It is not a problem for rich and noble families to eat. The growth will not be slowed down naturally, and it looks tall and handsome, and the abyss is mountainous. The common people have been malnourished since childhood, and they must have yellow faces and thin muscles. So who is a nobleman and who is a pauper, height and posture are the best ID cards, it is really clear and clear.

The difference between the two. It is like the gap between the size of Chinese and Europeans and Americans at the beginning of reform and opening up. But that's the difference between developed and developing countries. And in the same country, people of different status have such strong differences in height, which is simply exposing and complaining about the injustice of the system, the solidification of classes, the darkness of society, and the ugliness of the world.

Ji Lingxing frowned. "So I just can't understand how the revolution in Europe could not succeed with such strong hatred and antagonism."

"The revolution could not succeed. On a macro level, the third sister told us last time. It was the lack of strategic space for the survival and development of revolutionary regimes in Europe. ”

Ji Aojian sighed, "Microscopically speaking. Such bitter and bitter class antagonism will not necessarily last forever. ”

"Are you saying that the endogenous driving force of the revolution will also disappear in the future?"

"Ninth sister, only when people can't live, they will take risks, as long as they are not forced to a dead end, then it is better to die than to live. ”

Ji Aojian wiped his cheeks, which were blown stiff by the cold wind, and continued, "Why is the revolutionary movement in Europe surging now? It is because the workers have been exploited by the capitalists to the bottom line of survival, and their lives are even darker and miserable than in the Middle Ages, so they naturally have to fight to the death with the vampires. However, if the level of exploitation is raised to the bottom line of their survival in the future, will there continue to be the idea of violent revolution?"

"Above the bottom line?"

"These industrialized countries are the top powers of the planet's food chain and have taken up the greatest resources. They have not improved the lives of civilians. Ji Aojian said unhurriedly, "But under the impact of revolutionary movements again and again, they will eventually learn to adapt, learn to make profits, and improve the welfare of the public bit by bit." When the threshold of survival has been crossed, the workers will no longer risk spilling their blood and continue to choose to violently overthrow the capitalist regime. Even if they still want to fight for more interests for themselves, they will use the form of forming political parties to run for election, and play games from the perspective of 'legitimacy'. ”

"This ......"

"If you think about it, Britain is the heart of world capitalism, a veritable base camp and base. According to revolutionary theory, the conditions for Britain to enter the communist world should be the most ripe. Ji Aojian said, "But why is it that in Britain, the tide of the revolutionary movement is the calmest?"

In Britain, there is no such thing as a life-and-death revolutionary struggle. No matter how dissatisfied the masses are with reality, no matter how strong their demands are, they still express their wishes through more conciliatory methods such as marches, demonstrations, and petitions. Therefore, no matter how conservative the Duke of Wellington's political philosophy is, he only enjoys the reputation of the Iron Duke, and has not yet become the "executioner of the suppression of the revolutionary movement".

"Because Britain is the most powerful capitalist country, because Britain has achieved an empire on which the sun never sets, because Britain occupies many of the world's essences. Ji Lingxing hesitated and replied, "In terms of improving the treatment of the people, we have already taken a step forward. So in the UK, the living conditions of ordinary people are already better. ”

In terms of height, the height of British soldiers can generally reach more than 1.7 meters, and the trough since the Middle Ages has bottomed out. For example, in the Opium War, the Chinese's impression of the British army was still high. And if the Eight-Nation Coalition came to China at this time, the Chinese soldiers would be surprised to find that in addition to the British, the soldiers of other European countries would be no different from their own size. Even worse.

"That's exactly what it started with in the UK. One industrial country after another will slowly improve the standard of living of its citizens. Ji Aojian nodded and said, "It's time for the end of this century." It is even already felt that this was the golden age of old Europe. ”

Ji Lingxing said with a bitter face, "It's a golden age, so naturally they won't think about revolution anymore." ”

"The feeling of revolution naturally cannot be regarded as a daily ideal. ”

"However, although the people's living standards will improve to a certain extent in the future, they are still in a position of exploitation by nature. Ji Lingxing continued to think, "Establishing the people's own political power is not a one-time thing. Is there really a fair and just approach?"

"Ninth sister, do you think that as long as you are a worker, you are exploited?"

"Of course, is there something wrong?"

"From the fact that he is in his own country, it is true. Ji Aojian smiled, "But from the perspective of the whole world, it's different. ”

"How could it be different?"

"Workers in developed countries do the same work and produce the same products as workers in other countries. The salary is dozens of times that of its counterparts in developing countries, and if you look at the economic system of the whole world, is such a pay reasonable?"

"Will there be such a big difference?" Ji Lingxing said in surprise, "but the income of European workers now. It is already unable to meet the basic survival needs, how can it be dozens of times higher than its foreign counterparts?"

"I mean the future, the vast majority of the world is still very far from the industrial age. In these backward areas, not even a working class was formed. ”

"Oh. Ji Lingxing thought for a moment, "From the labor theory of value." Produce the same product, no matter in any country. They all condense the same undifferentiated human labor. Therefore, the income of workers in different countries should be roughly the same, how can there be a difference of dozens of times?"

"A country has an economic structure of a country, and a world has a world economic order. Ji Aojian explained to Sister Jiu, "The developed countries that occupy the top of the global political and economic system can formulate trading rules, monopolize trade channels, control capital flows, and master the industrial chain, so that they can achieve omnipotent and arbitrarily distorted final pricing power through various operations and manipulations." ”

"This is actually the most developed country, exploiting and sucking the blood of other vast countries through pricing power, right?"

"Yes, in this system, these hegemonic countries infinitely magnify the value of their own economic activities and resources, and infinitely devalue the economic activities and resources of other countries, so as to achieve a steady stream of blood-sucking effects. "So, even the workers and peasants of these countries are also vested interests in this kind of inter-state exploitation. Although they also work, the income from their labor, as well as the benefits and subsidies they receive in their own countries, far exceeds the true value of these labors. ”

"Ah......h

"As for those who are unemployed and receive high benefits, and who simply do not want to work because of such high benefits, they are all the more complicit of the exploiting class. ”

"Alas. Ji Lingxing couldn't help but sigh, "The consciousness of the people in developed countries is really a bit low." ”

"Enlightenment, it's really not very clever. Ji Aojian smiled, "The working class in Europe and the United States hates cheap products in developing countries very much, and urges the government every day to ban the import of such products and keep their jobs." ”

"And then?"

"If these foreign products are not imported, there will be no jobs for foreign workers. And the country will not have access to these cheap products, and the quality of life of the entire population, including that part of the workers, will also decline accordingly. ”

"This is all a monopoly and closed hegemony, and it harms others and is not beneficial to oneself. Ji Lingxing sighed, "The proletarians of the world should unite, in this case, will the people in the future forget?"

"Ninth sister, there is actually a very old saying. Ji Aojian said slowly, "Peers are enemies." ”

At this moment, a whistle sounded suddenly. Large clouds of steam, like whales spewing water, rushed into the sky.

"Little sword, I see what you mean. ”

Ji Lingxing sorted out his thoughts and said slowly, "The driving force of the revolution lies in the fact that the people are broken by the rulers to break the bottom line of survival, and when survival is guaranteed, the revolutionary movement lacks basic conditions. The major countries of Europe, on the other hand, were all rising industrial powers, and soon there would be no more revolutionary environments. Only those countries that are about to enter the pre-industrial age and have a geographical advantage can hope to establish a revolutionary regime. ”

Ji Aojian nodded.

"Comrades workers in a foreign land will not necessarily be supporters of our revolutionary cause in the future. The foundation of a country's development is to base itself on its own people and make its country strong. Ji Lingxing said seriously, "Therefore, the workers of the whole world unite, which is a noble but temporarily unrealistic direction, and realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is the path we should take at present." ”

"Sister Jiu, a great revolutionary, must first of all be a great nationalist. Ji Ao Kendao said angrily, "If you can't even liberate your own country, then you can't talk about the ultimate liberation of all mankind." ”

"It was the right choice for me to have you on this trip with me. ”

Ji Lingxing sat on the edge of the carriage and kicked two small feet, "Now I can really let go of the revolutionary cause in Europe, and I have found the merit that I should pursue." (To be continued.) )