Chapter 8: Austrian Civil Service Exam

The Austrian government has been very busy recently. Following the end of the war, they need to fulfill their promises of military rewards. They also need to manage properties that have just been taken over from the Church. Moreover, they need strong cooperation from local governments to promote compulsory education...

With so much to do, the government is naturally short-staffed. If there's a shortage, they need to hire externally.

In this world, there might be a shortage of all sorts of talents, but there's never a lack of people wanting to become officials.

Of course, there might be exceptions in places with poor conditions, but definitely not within Austria itself.

Numerous nobles are idle at home, frustrated by the lack of opportunities, slowly turning into parasites.

Now, the opportunity has come, and they naturally want to join the ruling group.

Don't assume that grassroots civil servants aren't appealing. For declining nobles, finding a respectable job is not easy.

Austria is conservative. Most nobles cannot humble themselves to work for capitalists, as it would damage their family reputation.

They'd rather join the military and slowly climb up than work under capitalists, even if it means a hefty salary. They feel their dignity would be insulted.

Initially, when Franz proposed a national civil service examination, it was immediately opposed by the government. After analyzing the practicalities, he willingly gave up the tempting idea.

There aren't many intellectuals these days, mostly nobles, capitalists, and the middle class. If there were, Franz wouldn't dare to employ them.

To be a qualified monarch, one must first ensure the loyalty of their subordinates. As for capabilities, what abilities does an ordinary civil servant need? As long as their intelligence meets the minimum standard and they can execute orders, they're qualified.

So, they will still choose from the nobles. On average, the capabilities of the nobles are higher. They have some life experiences passed down from their forefathers, something that newcomers can't match.

Of course, they must save face for the Emperor. The civil service examination will still be held, but with a unique Austrian twist, excluding most people.

For instance, they set requirements like having at least a secondary school education, passing a social knowledge exam, having proper political beliefs, having no record of negative speech, ancestors with no criminal records for three generations, and avoiding industries that family members are involved in...

If it weren't for the direct advancement of some nobles to the second round, this civil service exam would be considered fair.

After these requirements were published, public opinion was abuzz.

Unexpectedly, to Franz, such blatant exclusionary terms were seen as a major reform by the Austrian government, earning high praise.

If he hadn't made sure he wasn't manipulating public opinion, he would have suspected that these overwhelmingly positive reviews were from shills.

Some did object, especially young students. Their past protests against the government could now be obstacles for their civil service application.

Their opinions had to be kept to themselves. After the Ministry of Education tightened its grip on educational quality, their coursework increased significantly.

Examination techniques were applied to the Austrian education system: monthly tests, bi-annual midterm exams, and annual exams. Failing three consecutive times might lead to retention or even expulsion.

Under the pressure from the Ministry of Education, Austrian students "happily" studied daily. Skipping? That led to expulsion.

The most restricted middle class remained silent. They've been targeted by the Vienna government for a long time now.

After the ill-fated March Revolution, the government clearly hasn't forgotten or forgiven.

Everyone is smart, with rich social struggle experiences. They know it's not the time to speak out.

Franz had foreseen these reactions. What worried him most was possible opposition to noble privileges, which might trigger domestic unrest.

It seemed like he overthought it. The general Austrian public hadn't reached that level of political awareness. They wouldn't qualify regardless of the conditions set, so they remained indifferent.

Regarding the de facto prohibition of capitalists becoming government officials, the majority wholeheartedly agreed. If these tycoons became officials, it would be a disaster.

Okay, since everyone is silent, Franz assumes there are no objections.

With everything settled, whether it's about setting exam questions or direct interviews, Franz doesn't want to interfere too much; he just wants results.

Bureaucrats are not fools. They need staff for real work, especially low-level clerks. They wouldn't want a group of nobles causing chaos.

If the tasks aren't done properly, it means they will be held accountable by their superiors. There are no temporary positions in the Austrian government to take the blame.

Ever since Prime Minister Felix took office, he has been purifying the Austrian bureaucratic team. Now, the efficiency of the government has improved significantly.

...

The Schönbrunn Palace, located in the southwest of Vienna, began its construction in the 17th century. It underwent several expansions over the years and was only completed during the reign of Queen Maria Theresa.

It boasts 1,441 rooms, covering a total area of up to 26,000 square kilometers, and showcases various regional cultural styles. Its lavishness is second only to the Palace of Versailles.

Franz was born in the Schönbrunn Palace. Perhaps influenced by past life memories, he has a unique affection for this place and took up permanent residence here after ascending the throne.

The palace specifically features Oriental classical architecture, such as Chinese rooms inlaid with rosewood, ebony, and ivory, and Japanese rooms adorned with gold leaf and lacquer.

The interior décor of the rooms also follows an Eastern style, with walls and ceilings embedded with porcelain. Among the wide array of porcelain displays, there are Chinese celadon pieces, large plates from the Ming Dynasty's Wanli period, and Cao flower vases, to name a few.

Any of these items would have been enough to elevate someone from poverty before Franz's time. Yet now, they were all displayed wholesale before him.

After the initial excitement, Franz felt little else. What's so special about antiques? At his stature, anything he used would become a historic relic in the future. But that's predicated on his continuing success. If he fails, the value of these items would diminish considerably.

Franz was well aware that the Schönbrunn Palace, as luxurious as it was, remained unfinished. Its planned scale and grandeur were intended to rival that of the Palace of Versailles, but due to financial constraints, the original design was never fully realized.

As a responsible inheritor, Franz didn't mind completing the original design. However, he wasn't keen on spending money on it now.

At some point, Franz developed a fondness for sitting under a massive camellia tree, drinking tea and reading.

"Your Majesty, Prince Windisch-Graetz wishes to see you."

A maid's crisp voice interrupted Franz's reverie.

"Let him come, and bring an extra chair," Franz ordered.

This was his way of showing respect to his ministers. Informal gatherings were very casual. Chairs were freely available, and refreshments like coffee, tea, or juice could be ordered from the maids.

Unless meeting someone for the first time, Franz would greet personally. After that, guests were expected to make themselves at home without awaiting a daily greeting from the emperor.

Prince Windisch-Graetz, fully aware of Franz's ways, conducted himself with the poise befitting high nobility.

After the necessary formalities, the Prince settled into a chair, ordered coffee from a maid, and said, "Your Majesty, with government departments expanding, our retired military officers need placements. Why not let them fill some positions?"

Assigning military officials to civil roles was a common practice in Austria. For instance, Franz's cabinet was entirely made up of individuals with military backgrounds.

This was the choice for most German nobles. Their grown children had to serve in the military, even if just in name.

Given this environment, transitioning from military to civil roles was effortless. Prince Windisch-Graetz's suggestion was simply a way to pull some strings.

"In principle, there's no issue. However, they need to be assessed to determine the best fit," Franz replied calmly.

The Prince pressed on, "Your Majesty, these officers have military honors. They..."

"I'm well aware," Franz interjected. "It's for their own good that I believe they should be placed in roles that suit them. Assigning them positions they can't handle isn't rewarding them, but rather setting them up for failure. The Austrian government is no longer what it once was. Everyone in the government must be accountable. If issues arise due to incompetence, they'll be held responsible. Do you wish to tarnish the reputations of these decorated officers?"

Perhaps feeling he had been too stern, Franz added, "Instead of discussing this here, why not have the Army Department train these retired officers? Once they're qualified, who could outcompete them?"

Yes, Franz did favor soldiers. However, the basic principle remained unchanged. While soldiers could be given priority under equal conditions, those lacking the necessary skills would have to settle for simpler tasks.