Start 1861: I Just Inherited the Dutch Throne

Chapter 963 Global Power Transfer

'It's an inevitable feeling'

The inherent conflicts associated with the global power shift make it extremely difficult to manage Anglo-Dutch relations, unless the British generously transfer some of their rights to the Dutch, or the Dutch are willing to follow the British in the role of running errands, and everyone is willing to give in to the other. , both sides are proud and powerful national lovers, and no one can suppress the other. From a realistic point of view, these two big countries, as well as other countries, will have to cooperate in a world of multiple powerful countries."

After discussions among six top university presidents in the UK and the Netherlands, the above conclusions were reached.

"In the UK, Prime Minister Gladstone is mainly concerned with leading the Whig Party to win re-election and defeat the opposition Tories to continue to govern the British cabinet. He faces a difficult election battle to convince those who are worried that the Whig Party is more hostile to the Netherlands. The British conservative electorate who favors appeasement is the best candidate to lead Britain for another four years."

"Britain's assessment of the political and strategic intentions behind the Dutch actions was pessimistic. British officials believed that Prime Minister Lyndon and even William IV had decided to expel Britain from the Straits of Malacca and eliminate British activities in the Pacific. Making it an inland sea of ​​the Netherlands will be the most important political legacy of Dutch Prime Minister Linden's term. Many people believe that Linden and William IV are prepared to use force to achieve this goal, and Prime Minister Linden and William IV The emperor has ordered the Dutch military to prepare for war in the Dutch East Indies, and is ready for a war with Britain in the Strait of Malacca."

Several top UK chancellors say the prevailing view in London is that the Netherlands has become aggressive in safeguarding its own interests and undermining the British-dominated international order.

However, several top university presidents in the Netherlands are opposed. Their mainstream view on behalf of the Netherlands is that London is determined to prevent the rise of the Netherlands and ignores the legitimate rights and interests of the Netherlands. In order to prevent the recurrence of cruel immigration when Belgium was forced to separate from the Netherlands by Britain, the Netherlands It must not be able to resist the United Kingdom in terms of strength, and it must not be dominated by the United Kingdom in a security environment.

The six people still have differences, but they all believe that the two governments seem to have entered a sense of resignation. They all expressed concerns that the situation will worsen towards war.

The third principal of the UK: "As the Kingdom of the Netherlands becomes more powerful and confident, and as the Netherlands moves its capital to the Far East Australian continent, and becomes stronger in Latin America, other countries in Western Europe are dissatisfied, and people in other Western European countries have an increasing favorable impression of the Netherlands. The lower, because they developed a unique Dutch identity that was not European.”

The three principals of the Netherlands: "Working with allies and partners to defend the current post-Vienna international system supported by the UK, maintaining the UK's dominant position in the world's maritime waters, and using the balance of power to balance the European continent and maximize the UK is still the British Grice The diplomatic goals of Prime Minister Dunton have caused fierce competition between the UK and the Netherlands, and further weakened the two countries' global strength. The Netherlands and the UK have completely different views on the current approach of the German-Austrian alliance, which is preparing to expand its influence in Latin America and even start a war. different sayings”

Three British principals: "In the Netherlands, as next year's general election approaches, the coalition cabinet government formed by the Christian Party, the second largest party in the Netherlands, and the Socialist Party, the third largest party, is gearing up to prepare for the Dutch general election in December next year. In the future The situation in the Netherlands and the world in the next few years will add variables to the Dutch general election. At the same time, the Whigs led by Gladstone and the Tories led by Disraeli are also attacking each other's domestic and foreign policies, trying to It can arouse people's distaste for the other party, which in turn helps their own party's votes.

Therefore, the future development of the situation in the UK, the Netherlands and the world will mainly depend on the results of these two general elections next year, which will also be the most important international political event next year."

Three Dutch principals said, "The British government's focus should turn to the UK's internal economic recovery and other challenges, such as how the UK expands the international industrial product market and provides a weapons supply market. The ever-widening gap between the rich and the poor has caused many contradictions within London, UK. . And the key points include the need for tens of thousands of British troops to maintain local security in India and other colonies every year, the need to suppress local indigenous people, and the waste of military power. These are all headaches that Britain will have to deal with no matter which political party comes to power in the future."

The one of the three British principals said: "Foreign policy is an extension of domestic politics. Obviously, for both countries, domestic issues are the primary concern. Anglo-Dutch relations have not received enough attention from the top leaders of both sides."

One of the three Dutch principals said, "For London, suppressing the Dutch allies is the cheapest and most convenient, but it is also the most dangerous option. Defending the Dutch allies is recorded in black and white on the Dutch alliance, especially if the UK Issues such as America and even Sweden, Denmark, and Greece are seen as the Netherlands expanding its local power and trying to get local powers to attack Dutch allies. Then the Netherlands will never give up the alliance option of this core interest, because the Netherlands needs the trust of its allies.

Then, Britain's provocation will not be forgotten by the Netherlands. Britain will be the target country that the Netherlands wants to get rid of quickly. Its allies are the core of the Netherlands' core interests. It is absolutely impossible for Britain and its allies to launch an attack on Dutch allies. Deterring the Netherlands, on the contrary, strengthened the determination of the Netherlands in Zhejiang and made better preparations for fighting the British and forming alliances with more countries around the world for military showdowns. "

The powerful words of the three principals from the Netherlands made the Amsterdam Hall burst into applause, but they also expressed their gratitude to the three principals from the UK for coming, and the applause also continued.

The last six principals made a comprehensive statement, "Both the UK and the Netherlands must protect their fundamental interests. For example, the UK should not contain the Netherlands or suppress the Netherlands. On the other hand, the Netherlands should use practical actions to show that the Dutch alliance is not against the UK. The Netherlands The purpose and direction of its alliance should be made transparent. Both Britain and the Netherlands need to improve their relations with each other and other hostile countries, and pursue a peaceful foreign and military policy."

Finally, the theme of this event, co-sponsored by the University of Sydney, the University of Melbourne, the University of Amsterdam, the University of Cambridge, the University of Oxford, and the University of Edinburgh in the Netherlands: "The Dangerous Future The Netherlands and the United Kingdom Have to Face" concluded with:

With the rise of the Netherlands, Japan, the United States, Argentina, Brazil, Germany, Austria-Hungary, the Ottomans, Portugal and other countries surrounding the Netherlands are also worried about their own safety, because they are not sure how the increasingly powerful Netherlands will handle disputes in the future. ?

Is Britain willing to accept the rise of the Netherlands? What will the Netherlands do after realizing its strength in the Far East? In 1881, when relations between the UK and the Netherlands deteriorated to the lowest level in this century, could the UK and the Netherlands avoid war? These are issues that the UK, the Netherlands, Europe and the world need to seriously consider.

Melbourne, Royal Palace of the Netherlands.

When William IV faced questions from six Amster scholars, he even said with a smile on his face: "Interesting forum."

London, Buckingham Palace.

Queen Victoria also smiled and said: "Maybe it opens another window."