Surplus Economy In Dream

Edward seemed to recall the painful memories of his past life.

"Müller, I will tell you a story, a world from my dreams. That world was like heaven, yet it also resembled hell. Would you like to hear it?"

Müller was, of course, eager to listen. "Is it the world of the surplus economy that you mentioned?"

Edward's gaze fell into reminiscence.

"Yes, because that dream appeared often, I couldn't even distinguish which world was real—whether Lübeck's world or the one in my dreams."

"Of course, Lübeck's world is real. You don't believe the world in your dream could be real, do you?"

"In that world, humans separated nitrogen from the air, converted it into fertilizer, and planted it in the soil, turning it into food. Then, humans had an endless supply of food—food that was inexhaustible."

"Inexhaustible food, is this heaven?" Müller questioned.

"Is this heaven? No, it's hell!"

"How could it not be heaven? With endless food, why would anyone work? Why earn money?"

"Yes, why work? Why earn money? Lying flat sounds so much better!"

Edward's voice was tinged with bitterness. Yes, if he were a layabout, how much better would life be?

"Is there something you didn't like about the heaven in your dream?" Müller asked.

"That was not heaven; it was hell. Everyone worked 12 hours a day, six days a week. It was called 996."

"How could that be? Why would you work? You had endless food."

"In that world, I was a factory manager. The goods produced couldn't be sold. We had to lower the price, but still, no one bought them."

"My factory made no money, so most of the workers were laid off. The remaining ones worked 12 hours a day for miserably small wages."

"Neither I nor my workers had any purchasing power."

"I was a poor boss, and they were poor workers."

"The key was that the other bosses, and the other workers, were also poor, without any purchasing power."

"On the surface, lowering prices seemed beneficial to consumers, but the consumers were either workers from other factories or the unemployed. Without money, no matter how cheap the goods, they couldn't afford them."

"Everything produced couldn't be bought because no one had the purchasing power."

"Could such a world be called heaven?"

"Müller, stunned, responded, "This… this… is it hell?"

"To put it in the words of 'The Three-Body Problem,' resources are limited, but the expansion of groups is infinite. The greatest kindness, the greatest respect in the universe, is to destroy the civilization of the enemy. This is the law of the universe."

"Resources are limited…" Müller murmured, pondering.

"If we don't establish the Beer Guild, once everyone makes money, they will expand production. Sooner or later, it will turn into a surplus economy."

"Your Night Pearl Tavern, seeing a competitor lowering prices to attract customers, will also have to lower prices, or else your customers will flee."

"You'll keep lowering prices until you earn nothing, firing many employees, and the remaining ones will work 12 hours a day, earning only a little money."

"Can you imagine that scenario?"

"If I don't lower the price, customers will leave. But if I lower the price, the consequences will be terrible. Is this the surplus economy?"

"So, everything we are doing now is just and righteous."

"We must destroy all our enemies because that's the law of the universe."

"When Lübeck is left with just us, we will use the guild to regulate every member's production capacity, using all means to avoid the emergence of a surplus economy."

"As long as we remain in a shortage economy, both the bosses and employees will make money."

"When employees make money, they will have purchasing power. If other industries are also in a shortage economy, employees from those industries will also have purchasing power. Even if our beer is more expensive, they will be able to afford it."

"This is the difference between a virtuous and a vicious cycle. A shortage economy is a virtuous cycle; looking to the future, everything is filled with hope. A surplus economy, however, is a vicious cycle, and the future is filled with despair."

"So, we must destroy all our enemies, clear out resources and space, and claim it for ourselves. We must climb to higher positions in order to live better."

"I finally understand your inner drive now. I always felt you were in such a hurry. You're so young, yet you're so eager to rise to power and rule everything. It turns out it's because of that dream."

"The economic theory from Venice promotes a free economy. If I don't work hard now, I won't be able to build an ordered economy."

"The Germany in my heart, everyone will have a decent income, like an unstoppable war machine, devouring countries like Denmark that have wronged us."

"Denmark is already our Hansa League's vassal."

"Heh, do you believe that, decades from now, Denmark will once again go to war with Lübeck? And this time, Denmark will win and swallow a piece of Germany—my hometown, Holstein."

"How could this happen? Denmark already took a piece from us, Schleswig. How could they take more, like Holstein?"

"That's why I say the Hansa League will inevitably fail. Lübeck's military is too weak; once the navy loses, we'll be forced to cede land and pay reparations. And the Holy Roman Empire, a country with no unity, is easily bullied by a small nation like Denmark. When we were being attacked by Denmark, no one helped us, everyone just watched."

"What should we do?"

"I hope you'll support me. Not only will I help you make money, but I'll also give you a strong Germany. Do you trust me?"

"I do. If you become the mayor, Lübeck will definitely become stronger."

"Your faction must be well-maintained. The Hansa League merchants are weak, they are a bunch of soft-hearted saints, they deserve to be wiped out!"