Reincarnated as Nikolai II

The biggest problem in current imperial rural areas is poor farmers without strength to stand on their own.

These poor farmers mainly farm rented land, but even this uses the three-field system (dividing land in three with one-third fallow) so part of rented land can't be used.

It was still fine in early-mid 19th century when mir was active. Regions themselves redistributed land at regular intervals or mir accomplished local development like roads and hospitals that government couldn't.

However, when lowest class system disappeared and serfdom was abolished, mir degenerated and rural society started walking paths of individual survival.

"Now poor farmers can't even get chances to rise on their own."

Those with land get opportunities to buy more land, those without remain unable to escape serf life. Fearsome capitalism extended its hand even to countryside.

"Over 15 million in six-person farming families can't even reach half the average from pure labor income alone. Know what I'm trying to say?"

They groan crawling across the empire's bottom even today.

Stuck in countryside unable to help themselves, their only hope lies with high officials making policies above.

Their natural population increase is also a problem. Farmers who were just 50 million 30 years ago now exceed 80 million.

Meaning population growth graph shoots up sharply as epidemics and wars decrease.

'Meanwhile farmland given per household dropped 46% from 5 desyatinas to 2.7 desyatinas. Independent farmer proportion is even more miserable.'

Actual farmland increased greatly but owners were just wealthy farmers.

Witte detests radical leftists. Their ignorance and inherent violence make him want to vomit just watching.

However, he also empathized with tens of millions of workers' and farmers' suffering. What he studied and researched at Alkustov Agricultural Institute in his youth was essentially farmers' suffering itself.

"But do you know what you've done?"

"...I don't really know."

"You've sent the empire trying to move past mir back to the past."

The state reclaiming farmland? Though state-led of course, companies must jump in too.

They'll create plantation farms and new mir, making poor farmers serfs again.

Truly the worst plan where imperial capital, industry's priming water seeps back into farmland.

"Though I don't know exactly what the Tsar plans, poor farmers would surely decrease on his path. If only you hadn't interfered like this."

Whatever the method, continued industrialization could pull poor farmers into urban workers.

If farmer numbers themselves decrease, rural worker value rises and land prices fall.

Though urban workers would face intensified competition in return, this part must be solved only through industrialization, economic and capital development.

"I didn't care what ideology those vermin in State Duma brandished. I had no time to care about such things given the great task of reform."

Really he wanted to beat down all revolutionaries and ideologists. Like in the previous Tsar's era.

However, Witte didn't show such thoughts. Because he believed such pressure could naturally dissolve through national development.

Indeed, Witte was at the level of believing all problems depended on development and reform.

So. So such pure anger couldn't help but leak even now during conversation.

"I-I didn't know-"

"Is not knowing enough? Right now I want to move the Interior Ministry to kill you- Whew. No, if I do that who knows what nonsense you'll spout in State Duma tomorrow."

Isn't it laughable? It was just recently rejoicing at successful gold standard, but all efforts and empire's future become bubbles from one stupid proposal like this.

Even without Tsar's orders he would have led opposition to such policy, but unsure if that could stop it.

Because even Witte couldn't be certain whether the Tsar would reject Duma's request.

'His Majesty... I can't tell even as years change.'

Would the Tsar directly oppose parliament's proposal that he himself established after just one year?

Or would he approve staying detached pretending ignorance like before.

The problem of right and wrong has now spread to political problems.

"I'm really curious. What on earth were you thinking proposing such policy?"

"J-just roughly combined things I picked up drinking..."

"Ha!"

Unbelievable. This fellow, the lower house passing such proposal, the upper house approving without careful examination.

"Though there'd be political burden, still ending you at my level-"

"Enough. Minister, aren't you too excited?"

A voice stopping Witte about to speak like passing sentence. It was a voice Beren knew well too.

"Your Majesty Tsar."

"Come now, let's calm down a bit."

Though Witte knew the Tsar was listening to conversation through one wooden wall, his composure maintained even now was bizarre.

"Your Majesty, this one crossed the line. He can't be left alone."

"But is it right to kill a rising Duma representative? What about the aftermath? Well, Okhrana could disguise it as accidental death."

"Y-Your Majesty! I'm Beren Volkov! That Chief Aide who boldly left for Far East just hearing Your Majesty's words!"

"I know, Chief Aide Beren. Though I didn't expect to meet like this."

"I really didn't know about this! No, those Duma representatives must just be crazy! They never listen and just fight daily, so I just listened to them and went along agreeing a bit, but they all cast votes!"

When even the Tsar appeared, Beren started spouting whatever came to mind as if feeling death threat.

However, Nikolai watching such Beren showed no anger.

Just a gaze evaluating one object's value.

"Hmm, that's really something. How strange that individual agitation works even in this Russia."

How many ideologists proclaimed their ideologies as truth and scattered them to the masses.

It's an inevitable era where pleasant-sounding ideology gets chosen regardless of right and wrong.

In such era, obtaining Duma majority with mere agitation without foundational ideology.

"Beren, I first vowed to thoroughly crush whoever submitted such proposal. No matter how I looked, it seemed only intentionally ruining my plans."

"No! What would I stuck in Khabarovsk know!"

"That's why. It's more dumbfounding that this wasn't intended. So I'm still contemplating. Whether there's use in letting you be, or should cut here."

Priding never making mistakes since becoming Tsar, now seems not so.

'Perhaps I was too arrogant pretending to know everything alone.'

Nikolai was feeling dazed like taking his first hit.

Beren before him was clearly his 'mistake'.

"Watching, the worst mistake a monarch with power can make."

"It's not Your Majesty's fault. This is just the result when an ignorant one has conviction."

"Witte, I provided ways for that ignorant one to grasp power."

Nikolai was still contemplating. Justification is weak to hit Duma after just one year.

'Though public disappointment is great, they haven't completely turned their backs.'

Harvest unripe apples after one year, or wait despite more hardship.

That's what Nikolai contemplated watching Beren.

What if a second Beren appears? If Duma keeps mindlessly passing proposals after this?

Though Nikolai also expected Democratic and Labor parties' collusion, he never imagined votes coming from Progressive and Conservative parties too.

"What to do about this..."

Don't know how much Beren's ability is and how far his influence will grow in Duma.

Perhaps the bubble will burst revealing insignificance.

"Hmm, good. Decided."

"Your Majesty! Please!"

"I'll spare you."

In four-party structure split half and half, situations possibly exceeding half keep arising.

"Of course not completely forgiving. I'll tell Governor Sergei, so try few more years."

"What? Why my term..."

"Why, because you'll found a party."

So make Duma five. Even eating few seats could possibly play casting vote role.

"Just keep talking energetically like now. But if you can't even do that... the road back to Far East might become quite dangerous."

Regrettable but this is best. Nikolai thought nothing to gain from dealing with Beren now.

"Now, Minister Witte here will send slightly degraded version of your proposal back to parliament for feasibility issues."

"Should I pass that?"

"No? You should block it."

This whole process must happen before elections.

"I hope nothing comes up to my desk from Duma."

Orders to now block the proposal he submitted.

Beren already felt dizzy.

==

"Your Majesty, did you discover value in Representative Beren that I don't know?"

Leaving the building without Beren, Witte finally asked his held question.

Even as Finance Minister, he thought he knew too little about this unpredictable Tsar.

"Value, that's for him to prove going forward."

"After next election, risk of Representative Beren's influence growing larger. Didn't Count Dashkov say he's just an agitator not even an intellectual?"

"That's why he's useful."

Because those agitation targets are fellow Duma representatives.

"Liberals are free in name only, can be seen as fallen nobles and cunning intellectuals gathered coveting power. Labor Party are potential traitors. Conservative and Progressive? In the end just for their interests, not one person in that State Duma sees the whole empire."

Meanwhile Beren looked different to Nikolai.

'This bastard just agitated like breathing.'

Rather found use because of that. Since it wasn't for his group's interests. Just stuck to that fighting arena with mouth being his calling and made newspapers.

"But shame to shatter Duma just because of one Beren? Thanks to it protests and strikes decreased considerably."

Originally those rushing to Tsar and high officials shouting noisily asking to hear their stories now head to Duma.

For Nikolai, no better complaints window than this.

Though Witte also knew well about this part, another point Nikolai mentioned lingered in his ears.

"Duma... was scheduled to shatter?"

"Hm? Ah, didn't know? Must press down once. I can't remain kind and virtuous Tsar forever."

Purging State Duma he created himself. Do those State Duma representatives even know this fact?

'No, absolutely not.'

If they knew, they couldn't rampage not knowing sky's height. Things like Beren couldn't even be born.

"Hmm, seeing your expression you really didn't know. Didn't expect our Finance Minister so pure."

"..."

"Don't look at me so frightfully. It's what you have to do anyway."

What he has to do? Never thought anything besides reform but purge?

Witte couldn't even answer.

To such Witte, Nikolai gently threw bait again.

"How long will you stay Finance Minister? Isn't there next?"

"Next... ah, you'll implement Prime Minister system?"

"Have to. How long think we can block majority passage?"

Purge Duma with your own hands, rise to Prime Minister position. Rise there and control Duma again.

The Tsar's wishes became clear.

As if eagerly awaiting that moment, Nikolai walked away with light steps hands behind back.

Meanwhile Witte... wished he didn't know the Tsar's plans.