French Empire: But Napoleon IV

Chapter 42 The Compensation Foundation: Let's Turn the Tide!

After mentally cursing the corrupt government, Eugène's brain worked at lightning speed, and he quickly came up with a solution.

Once the noise from the crowd subsided, Eugene spoke calmly.

Even if there was no corruption involved in this compensation case, it would be almost impossible for Eugène to have a rational discussion with the public if the angry public was unaware of the compensation policy.

In any case, Eugene only has one option left.

"You're all right. The government has done a terrible job in compensating fallen soldiers, and that's a disgrace to us."

First of all, regardless of whether there is any fault or not, just admit it.

Moreover, the government does have a history of corruption, and trying to whitewash this situation would easily create a sense of division among the public.

Some people will accept Eugène's explanation and feel that the government is not wrong, but many more people will quickly lose all the goodwill they had previously gained because Eugène did not stand with them.

Having read several books on human psychology, Eurasia paused briefly before speaking, word by word.

"Therefore, I have decided that I will ask the Paris government to contribute 20 million francs to establish an independent war relief fund. This fund will be independent of government jurisdiction and jointly managed by ten of Paris's most prestigious bankers and five citizen representatives."

The foundation's accounts will be completely transparent, and the destination of every penny will be published in the newspapers, subject to the scrutiny of all Parisians.

Like a thunderclap out of nowhere, Eugène's words left everyone present wide-eyed, unable to believe their ears.

Twenty million francs! That's an astronomical figure!

Moreover, Eugène's approach to making accounts public was remarkably forward-thinking. For French citizens who are passionate about politics and actively involved in government oversight, this model would undoubtedly satisfy them, even providing a sense of fulfillment.

As for Eugène, during this period, he spent less than 1.3 million francs of the 3000 million francs he obtained through reckless lending, even while spending lavishly throughout Paris.

Eugene, who still holds more than 100 million francs, has more than 50 million francs at his disposal, in addition to purchasing supplies from various regions.

For Eugène, spending 20 million francs to appease the people of Paris was not a difficult task. With over 100 million francs already at stake, it was a windfall for him, and he naturally spent it without restraint.

"From today onward, the families of all soldiers who died in this war will be taken care of by this foundation."

Everything must serve this war; if this war is not won or has a decent ending, the Bonaparte family's rule in France will come to an end.

As for financial pressure, the pressure of subsequent high pensions, etc., all of these must first give way to the rule of the Bonaparte family.

Having already decided to overcome this hurdle first, before considering the rest, Euren's voice was extremely powerful and clear, each word striking the hearts of those present with a forceful impact.

"Each soldier who dies in battle will receive a one-time pension of 100 francs from the foundation. Their relatives can receive 50 francs annually from the foundation as living expenses."

If a family has more than three children, the foundation will provide financial support for the remaining children until they turn eighteen, covering all their educational expenses.

This isn't much, but when combined with the French government's own pension policy, it becomes quite substantial.

In the first month, French citizens will receive 200 francs in compensation, and the annual compensation will be increased to 150 francs thereafter.

This is basically equivalent to half the annual income of a private. Unless you're in a high-cost city like Paris, an annual income of 150 francs is enough for a woman and a child to live off their parents.

In modern France, during the industrial age, women also work. The income of women or the parents of soldiers, combined with this pension, is enough to provide soldiers' families with a relatively comfortable living environment.

After all, whether a private's income could even go halfway home was questionable. They were all energetic young men, and during holidays, they inevitably had to hand over a portion of their savings to taverns and prostitutes.

Therefore, this compensation amount is sufficiently high, provided there is no corruption involved.

To avoid burdening model families with multiple children, Victor added a patch at the end.

"I hereby solemnly swear to you that as long as the Bonaparte family exists in France, this foundation will exist. As long as I, Eugène Napoleon, live, I will be responsible for the fallen soldiers to the very end."

Even if I were to die on the front lines one day, my mother, Empress Eugénie, and my descendants will continue to uphold this promise. If I break this oath, you may overthrow me and the Bonaparte family at any time.

This vow was very important; at least after Eugène made it, the people below looked at him with shining eyes.

However, Eugène himself knew that this oath was contingent on the Bonaparte family's presence in France.

If a family member's husband/son dies in battle and they want to receive a pension from a foundation, only to discover that the Bonaparte family is about to be expelled from France, can they accept this outcome?

Obviously not. Eugene is exploiting sunk costs. The family has already lost a loved one, and they cannot accept that, on top of losing a loved one, their compensation will be drastically cut.

The French crowd below, still in a commotion, was completely unaware of Eugène's cunning scheme; they were still cheering for his kindness.

Knowing that this was the time to give it another push, Eugene pulled a check out of his pocket, held it high in the air, and waved it at the crowd.

What Eugene said next made the gazes of the people in the front row burning as they looked at the check, and their breathing became much heavier.

"This is a check for twenty million francs, which I will entrust to Rothschild Bank. A few days later, the foundation's bylaws and the list of recipients of the first pension will be published in Le Figaro, and within two months at most, I will have the first pension deposited into the accounts of the relevant relatives."

If you discover anyone embezzling or misappropriating funds from the foundation, no matter who they are, whether they are nobles or bureaucrats, believe me, I will personally send them to the guillotine.

In just two months, according to the historical timeline, the Bonaparte family would have fallen.

To receive this impending pension, the relevant relatives and members of the public would have to support the rule of the Bonaparte family.

No one noticed Eugène's little scheme; on the contrary, no one present continued to question his sincerity.

The twenty million francs in cash, along with such generous and detailed compensation terms, was something no previous government had ever done.

With genuine and unwavering commitment, the audience, who had already shifted their stance several times, successfully sided with Eugene once again.