Fox of France

Over the years, France has mainly used two methods to export its soft power to other countries. One is more obvious, through the establishment of newspapers and other media; the other is more subtle, but may have a greater impact in the long run, and that is education.

France's technology is number one in the world, and it has now become the consensus of almost the entire world. Therefore, all countries will inevitably send international students to study in France. As for foreign students, they will naturally maintain France's academic authority. This is not to say that international students love France more than their own country. As a matter of fact, there are not a few international students who have the idea of ​​"learn from others and learn from others' skills". But they studied in France, so it is impossible for them not to be free from French influence in politics and thought. What's more, France's universal value sounds extraordinarily high.

Therefore, the thoughts of those international students who have the idea of ​​"learn from others and learn from skills to make laws" have gradually changed. At first some of them really thought that learning French science and industrial technology was enough. Especially some aristocrats with aspirations, and they hate revolution, equality and so on. But after staying in France for a while, they discovered that the French system is inseparable from French industry and science.

Especially some guys who studied engineering, such as those Russians, went back to their own country and started the legal movement, but they found that many things that are taken for granted and essential in France just don’t work in Russia. As a result, the factories created by the legal campaign cost a lot of money, were poor in quality, and cost skyrocketing. When those Russian students returned to China to open factories, they thought that Russia is vast and rich in resources, and they can dig all kinds of minerals by themselves. In addition, the labor cost of workers is super low compared with France, so it should be very suitable for opening factories. The results of it……

Some international students even ran back to Russia and mortgaged their family land in order to set up factories. As a result, in just two or three years, I went bankrupt due to various strange reasons that couldn’t be written in a notebook, then sold the machine, ran back to France, and worked as an engineer in a French factory.

Not to mention those who study liberal arts. If the French say that the French system is not good and that the French universal values ​​are not universal, then they spend so much money to go out to learn those things, isn’t it for nothing? Isn't that money wasted?

Therefore, international students will naturally and generally praise France's soft power. When these people stay in France, they are building France, and when they return to their home country, they are promoting France. Basically, most of those who studied science and engineering stayed in France. Most of those who studied literature and art returned to their home countries.

One of the advanced experiences that international students have learned from France is to attach importance to education. France invests a large amount of money in education every year. The French government not only ranks first in the world in terms of total investment in education, but also accounts for the highest proportion of fiscal revenue in Europe.

One of the most common propositions of international students, especially those studying literature and art, after returning to China is to learn from the good example of France and vigorously develop education.

France, on the other hand, is also very supportive of European education—anyway, if it cultivates talents in science and engineering, it will come to France; if it cultivates talents in literature and art, it will promote the universal values ​​​​of France. You see what a wonderful thing. Therefore, when Prussia had to cut education funding due to the indemnity of the defeat and economic difficulties, Napoleon took part of the indemnity from Prussia for higher education in Prussia.

"Her Majesty Frederick II vigorously developed education, so Prussia once dominated Europe. Now the first ruler of France, His Excellency Napoleon, vigorously develops education, so France leads the world in an all-round way. It can be seen that education is the foundation of a country and the foundation of a rich country. The reason for a strong country. Therefore, in order to develop the country, we must also vigorously develop education. Every year, the French government gives a subsidy to every university student with French nationality who has passed the French Academy of Sciences audit and certification entrusted by the French government. And can Guarantee for the poor students among them, and obtain loans at low interest rates from the Bank of Rome to support their studies. This is an important reason why France’s science leads the world. We should also learn from it.” It is said that this is Harvard University President John Sang What Mr. Don Kirkland said in a letter to the President when he first took office.

It’s just that the U.S. federal government has no money at all, so the country’s education, of course, encountered in the United States “I have my own national conditions in the United States.” Then the war broke out again, so naturally no one cares about this kind of thing.

However, Principal John Thornton Kirkland still worked hard for the development of American education. One way to raise the standard of education, aside from getting as much funding as possible from enthusiastic people, is to hire French students, and even French scholars, to teach at Harvard.

At this time, Harvard University was completely incomparable with those universities in Europe, especially those in France, in terms of academic status. In the eyes of Europeans in this era, Harvard or something is a pheasant university. Its status is probably similar to that of Qingbei during the Republic of China—although it is a top university in China, in the eyes of European and American civilized people, it may not be qualified even as a university preparatory course. Just like in Qingbei at that time, an international student returning from abroad can often rely on a foreign diploma, or even a fake foreign diploma, and a well-known foreign teacher to become such a "top university" professor.

In the United States, the same thing exists. Over the years, many American students have come to study in France. To be honest, at the beginning, Napoleon did not particularly welcome these American students, especially those who came to study science and technology.

Napoleon said to Joseph like this: "You said these Yankees went to France to study abroad, and it was enough to learn from Molière, Corneille, Rousseau, and Voltaire. What science and technology did they learn? The United States is so far away from Europe. Science and technology, went back to the United States to start industry, because of the high transportation costs, our industrial products did not suppress them enough. This is not good, really not good.”

But then Louisiana was developed, and Napoleon didn't mention it. Anyway, American industry can't compete with Louisiana's industry.

But also because the American industry was beaten badly by Louisiana, not to mention competing in the world market, even the American market, they lost their share, and even the domestic market was in a difficult situation. Therefore, there are more and more Americans who come to study in France now, such as Lieye, Corneille, Rousseau, and Voltaire.

Many of these people returned to the United States and became professors in various American universities. And if they want to fight for a higher status and more income for themselves, they must convince people that what they can learn from him is worth the price. Therefore, if you want to ask where in the United States there are the most spiritual French people, it must be those universities in the United States.

Therefore, apart from the media, every university in the United States is an extremely important part of the plan of the Ministry of Truth.

Of course, it wasn't just the Ministry of Truth that was eyeing the foreign students—damn it, the rats in the sewers, the disgusting color-changing monsters, the dead species left by the guillotine, and the guys from the Ministry of Public Security were also eyeing the foreign students.

This is also a normal thing. Among the international students who come to France to study abroad, some are very patriotic, but there are also those who just want to change their personal destiny. The guys from the Ministry of Public Security first stand against these international students, and then screen out possible targets from among them, and then look for opportunities to make tentative contacts, including direct financial bribes, or using methods such as consumption traps and gambling to make them The debt piled up, and then threatened and lured. In short, they are all old ways. But these old methods can always exist, which actually shows that these tricks are very useful.

So the guys from the Ministry of Public Security also have a lot of foreign student spies in their hands. Because of these people, some actions of the Ministry of Truth were discovered by the Ministry of Public Security at the very beginning. Then……

"Obviously, some characteristics of the United States are unnecessary and even dangerous for us in France. For example, the inexplicable sense of mission of the Americans and the expectation of becoming a big country are very bad things. So, our old opponent started to act. Well, recently at Yale, a literature professor surnamed Fafnir wrote an interesting article called 'I don't care about the rise of great powers, I only care about the dignity of small people '. Well, this article immediately aroused widespread discussion. I think there must be a shadow of the Ministry of Truth in it.

Of course, such an action was definitely not carried out by the Ministry of Truth itself. This is the grand strategy of the country. I know people have a bad opinion of the Ministry of Truth, and honestly, who in our department would have a good opinion of those guys? These idiots are a waste of resources, corrupt and inefficient, and their playboy minister, if it weren't for his two good brothers, wouldn't be able to sit in that position. If this matter is entrusted to us to spend the same money, the effect of our work will definitely be much better than theirs. ” In the simple office with only a table and a few chairs, Fouche was talking to several of his subordinates.

"That's right, the Ministry of Truth is a waste of support, just leave all their affairs to us."

"If we had the resources they have, we would have..."

Several subordinates expressed their disdain for the Ministry of Truth.

"Everyone, there is no need to say such things. You know, over the years, the guys from the Ministry of Truth have caused us a lot of trouble. This time..."

"Let's dismantle them as well!" A subordinate said viciously.

"Yes, let them know how powerful we are!" Another subordinate also said.

Fouche glanced at them, knowing that they said this only to show his hatred of the first enemy. In fact, they are all human beings, and they all know that those things can be said, but they cannot be done.

"Okay, stop talking nonsense." Fouche said, "Dealing with the United States and the peaceful evolution of American culture are the country's major policies and extremely important matters. In this matter, if we deliberately carry out Sabotage is an act of treason. Lucien is not very capable in many things, but Bonaparte's administration and Bonaparte's president are smart people. Do you think that if we go to sabotage, they will find No? Once they find out that we are harming the interests of the entire country for the benefit of the department, what will happen? At that time, who will be the loser? So, if we really bring down the Ministry of Truth in this matter , That's what the Ministry of Truth wants to see the most. Because it is dismantling the entire country, and in the final analysis it is dismantling our own.

In fact, the contradiction between our two departments is very clear to the First Consul - how could he not be clear? But the first ruling has set the most basic tone for this, that is, there can be competition, but there must be no things that undermine each other.

Think about it, why did the first ruling allow France to have two intelligence agencies? One of the very important reasons is to allow us to compete with each other. Because competition can improve our work efficiency. "

Having said that, Fouche smiled: "Taking ourselves as an example, if we know a case, people from the Ministry of Truth may also follow up, then our efficiency will be greatly improved immediately, um, the Ministry of Truth The same is true for Bian. This is what the 1st Consul wants. But if we tear each other down, then it is not what he wants. In our struggle with the Ministry of Truth, the arbiter of who wins in the end is the 1st Consul. He is Lu Xi’an’s elder brother, although the First Consul is a very, very fair person, it is impossible for him to be unaffected by the brotherhood. Therefore, we can’t do things to disrupt the situation even more than the Ministry of Truth—I personally hope that Lucien can do more Come tear down our desk."

So a subordinate asked: "Then minister, what should we do? Are we just..."

"Of course we can't let go of this opportunity. What the First Consul hopes is that we can compete with each other. We will compete with the Ministry of Truth and try to do better than them. At the same time, we will keep an eye on them and pay attention to their shortcomings and loopholes. , we quietly make up for them, and then record this matter and hand it over to the First Consul, this is the best way to deal with the Ministry of Truth. Everyone, do you understand?"

Everyone nodded. Then Fouché smiled and said: "Of course, because they don't have enough ability to analyze all kinds of information, if something goes wrong, as long as we can make up for it without harming the country's goals, that would be the best. "

Everyone laughed together, and everyone understood what Fouché meant. It is impossible to directly dismantle the stage and dig a hole, but it is completely possible to lure the opponent to make a mistake, and then come out to save the situation by yourself.