Start 1861: I Just Inherited the Dutch Throne

"The proportion of the middle class in the Netherlands has been maintained at around 50%-60%, and by 1900 the next generation may reach more than 80%." This is what major Dutch newspapers said on August 7 when William IV was in Sydney, Netherlands. The words of the University School of Finance and Economics were published in the headlines of major newspapers.

This is one of the key contents of another speech delivered by King Willem IV of the Netherlands at the School of Diplomacy established at the University of Melbourne in the Netherlands on August 1. Five days later, he arrived in Sydney to attend the School of Finance and Economics of the University of Sydney.

According to reports, His Majesty William IV said in a speech at the School of Finance and Economics of the University of Sydney in the Netherlands that according to surveys, the proportion and economic strength of the Dutch middle class have continued to maintain a growth trend in the past 20 years, with a 25% increase starting in 1859. 60% in 1879, middle-income earners have become the backbone of Dutch society, and this part of the Dutch people are high-income earners in the United Kingdom, France, the German Empire and other countries. In other words, if these people are in the above countries, All are already high-income earners.

William IV also told teachers and students at the School of Finance and Economics at the University of Sydney in the Netherlands: "According to surveys, the proportion and economic strength of the Dutch middle class have continued to grow over the past 20 years, and it is predicted that the expectations for the next generation to enter the middle class are gradually increasing."

"European Times" quoted data from His Majesty William IV. As early as July 20, 1880, a team led by research committee member of the Netherlands Institute of Development, the most famous economist in the Netherlands, Professor Torik of the University of Sydney and the University of Amsterdam published A report titled "Current Situation and Policy Issues of the Dutch Middle Class" containing the above content.

This report shows that based on 50% to 150% of the Dutch median income, the proportion of the Dutch middle class in the total population steadily increased from 1869 to 1879 to about 20%, and from 1859 to 1869 It increased by 15%.

The global non-governmental economic organization - the Council for Foreign Economic Cooperation and Development (later known as the predecessor of the OECD) founded by Professor Tokeri of the Netherlands in 1876 became world-famous in the early years, thanks to their unique opinions on the economies of various countries around the world. Views, the organization likes to regard 75% to 200% of the median national income as the middle class. According to the data it released, the rate of the Dutch middle class is 60.3%, far exceeding this world-famous economic organization (later (called the OECD) is more than double the average of 25% published by 13 other Western industrial countries: the United Kingdom, France, Germany, the United States, Austria-Hungary, Spain, Italy, Portugal, the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Tsarist Russia, and Greece.

The report quoted William IV as saying, “After the 1860s, the proportion of the middle class in the European economy has maintained and increased significantly. This should be affected by the narrowing of the wage gap in the labor market such as large enterprises and small and medium-sized enterprises. To put it simply, it is The employment income of the bottom class of Dutch society has been increased. The large capital of high-income earners has not become the only winner. People with middle income have become the mainstream of Dutch society. The Dutch government’s transfer policy guidance, such as unemployment support to support the bottom class of Dutch society, Free cash assistance such as subsidies and social welfare also have an expanded impact.”

"European Times" reported after an investigation that William IV said that the proportion of people who consider themselves to be middle class in the Netherlands continues to increase. When asked about the socioeconomic status of "upper, middle, or lower middle class, the proportion of people who answered that they belonged to the middle class increased from 40% in 1869 to 60.3% in 1879."

In addition, the Dutch people's expectation of the possibility of class movement has increased significantly. The proportion of people who answered "If you work hard, your socioeconomic status may rise" increased from 24.8% in 1859 to 59.9% in 1879.

On the contrary, people in London, UK, are experiencing a sharp decline in their expectations for the possibility of class mobility. The proportion of people who responded that "if they work hard, their socioeconomic status in London is likely to improve" dropped from 28.9% in 1859 to 23% in 1879, indicating that their children The proportion of a generation whose status was likely to rise also fell from 41.7% in 1859 to 30.3% in 1879. The report suggested that as a middle-class strengthening program, William IV stated that if he were the ruler of Britain, he would Provide policy support, such as removing barriers to employment for middle-aged and newly-adult people or female spouses with children.”

As William IV's speech about the middle class was circulated at the School of Finance and Economics of the University of Sydney, and was reported by major newspapers in the Netherlands, various countries began to reprint it in their own newspapers. It is said that many people even in the UK read it. Many expressed their dissatisfaction with the lack of newspaper coverage of the financial sector in the UK.

Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom summoned British newspaper owners at Buckingham Palace and asked them to put more thought into the UK's finance and economics sector in order to build London's status as a European financial center.

With the pressure from the Queen, a large number of financial pages began to appear in British newspapers, which gave the financial capital of London a lot of atmosphere that it did not have in the past.

The British approach was imitated by Berlin and Frankfurt in the German Empire. No one wanted to allow London, England, to exclusively enjoy the benefits of a financial center.

There are many capitalists in New York who want to build New York's reputation as the financial capital, and they are more eager to challenge London's status.

However, Amsterdam, the former capital of the Netherlands, and Sydney, the eastern city of Australia in the Netherlands, both have the status to challenge New York as the second world financial city.

Precisely because of the challenge from the Netherlands, it is understandable that New York’s capital tycoons are hostile to the Netherlands.

As the instigator, William IV was in Sydney and met with the visiting Spanish Prime Minister Praxades Mateo Sagasta.

When asked by Praxades why William IV spoke about the middle class.

William IV smiled and said: "Politics cannot occupy all of life, nor is it a field that ordinary people are familiar with. What people are most familiar with is daily necessities."

Praxades Mateo Sagasta was stunned for a moment when he heard this, and then said with a wry smile: "Your Majesty's statement is quite novel and full of philosophical charm."

William IV said meaningfully: "Spain's current economic status among the 14 Western countries published by the OECD is not good."

Praxades suddenly showed bitterness when he heard this.

Spain is a southern European country, and the common problems of southern European countries are very obvious. Spaniards have the optimism of southern Europeans, are relatively laid-back, do not have a strong sense of time, and are used to being late. Moreover, Spaniards, like other southern Europeans, have an annoying bureaucratic office system. , will try every means to embarrass you, etc.

So the Spanish were not as rigorous as the Dutch, Germans, British or even the Swedes and therefore did not have enough industrial talent.

In this era of rising industrial economy, the shortcomings of Spain's past reliance on absorbing colonial economic chakras have emerged. The nutrients of the five colonies of the Philippines, Cuba, Morocco, Western Sahara, and Mauritania have been absorbed year after year in the past 20 years, resulting in the emergence of various local problems. Despite the voices of dissatisfaction, Spain has been suffering from this headache in recent years.

No wonder Praxades looked bitter at this time.

William IV: "It is said that your old opponent, the conservative Antonio Canovas del Castillo, is now able to develop the economy and is preparing to challenge your position in the next three years of this term."