I Became a Tycoon During World War I - Chapter 49

Chapter 49: Power Stems from This

"They control the lifeline of France, Father!" Charles explained. "Steel, rifles, artillery, and warships—they are all indispensable. If these capitalists were to close their factories or refuse to sell their products, France would be finished."

Djoka nodded thoughtfully. "Power stems from this—no one dares to offend them because they hold France's fate in their hands!"

"Exactly!" Charles said. "They are the upper-tier merchants who set the rules. The mid- and lower-tier merchants can only make money within those rules. They fail to realize that the upper-tier merchants, who wield power, can ruin them with just a word. So, is money really that important?"

Only power can secure your money, and with power, you can even take money from others. Without power, you can only watch as others rob you of your wealth.

Djoka found Charles' reasoning compelling. He had long suspected Charles wanted a share of the capitalists' power but hadn't expected it to happen so soon.

After a moment's hesitation, Djoka asked doubtfully, "But the military's power is limited, Charles. They don't even interfere in politics!"

"That doesn't matter, Father!" Charles replied. "What matters is that the military protects France. The capitalists control the military by selling arms, thereby controlling France! The big capitalists you just mentioned all operate this way!"

The Wintail family, for example, are not arms dealers. They control steel, an essential material for military manufacturing and civilian industries alike. As a result, the French government has no choice but to treat them with deference and grant them special privileges.

Charles finally set down his fork, rubbed his rounded belly, and concluded, "Even though we make less money by working with the military, it’s a necessary path to power—perhaps our only chance!"

Djoka didn’t fully understand, but he realized that Charles was correct.

A typical counterexample was the Grevy family, a traditional aristocratic household. Although wealthy, they had been marginalized on the political stage and had little influence left. That might explain their desperate attempt to buy the rights to tank designs.

Charles didn’t elaborate further—not to withhold information or act mysteriously, but because some matters were beyond Djoka’s imagination.

At this time, capitalists had monopolized almost everything for the military, from uniforms to rifles, artillery, and warships. But two fields were still virtually untouched: tanks and aircraft.

It wasn’t that the capitalists didn’t want to monopolize these areas; it was that these technologies had not yet developed significantly. They hadn’t realized the potential for growth in these sectors or understood how important they would become.

If Charles moved into the rifle business, he would become an enemy of the Saint-Étienne Arsenal.

If he focused on artillery, he would infringe on Schneider’s market.

If he targeted warships, he would clash with the interests of the Brest Shipyard!

Any of these choices would escalate conflicts with the big capitalists, igniting a war without gunpowder.

With Charles’ current resources, he couldn’t stand against any of the big capitalists. They could easily stage a traffic accident to kill him.

But if Charles ventured into tanks, armored vehicles, and aircraft, he would have no enemies and no competition. The big capitalists might, at most, consider purchasing his designs or entering the field themselves to produce imitations.

This was one reason Charles had managed to remain unscathed so far.

So, does selling at a lower price to earn less matter?

What truly matters is securing military cooperation to introduce tanks, aircraft, and various armored vehicles under the "Charles" name, making the military—and France—dependent on him.

One day, if Charles were to close his factory doors, France might face ruin. What could the big capitalists do then? Kill Charles and risk mutual destruction?

From this perspective, General Gallieni had misunderstood Charles. He believed Charles agreed to collaborate with the military out of "conscience."

While conscience played a role, self-preservation was also a factor. More than anything, Charles refused to remain a pawn in the hands of the big capitalists—he wanted to become a true tycoon, a chess player in his own right!

Perhaps sensing Charles' ambition, Djoka felt uneasy.

Charles might not sincerely wish to help the people and soldiers. Instead, he intended to use them as bargaining chips in his struggle against the capitalists.

But on second thought, Djoka found this understandable.

In a society where the weak were prey to the strong, one either resigned oneself to exploitation by the big capitalists or carved out a bloody path to rise. Any hesitation or mercy would lead to failure and permanent subjugation.

This was, in essence, self-preservation.

With this realization, Djoka relaxed and nodded firmly. "As I said, I will always stand by your side!"

...

The next morning, Djoka went to Paris as Charles’ guardian to apply for the industrial rights to the sidecar design. Accompanying him were Guillaume and several other workers.

This was Charles’ idea.

"Many components and ideas in the sidecar design came from the workers!" Charles explained. "For instance, the shock absorber and the triangular machine gun mount... We should protect their rights!"

Djoka agreed readily.

A man of sentiment and dignity, Djoka always responded enthusiastically to such proposals and felt deeply gratified by Charles’ thoughtfulness toward the workers.

In this regard, he truly wasn’t suited for business!

Charles had multiple motivations for this approach:

First, it could inspire workers to be more proactive and creative.

Their inventions and innovations would belong to them, generating wealth for themselves. Naturally, they would be more inclined to invent rather than hide their ideas as they had before.

Second, it could attract talent from other factories.

While other factories and capitalists seized workers’ invention rights, Charles protected them and even helped apply for patents. Talented individuals would naturally prefer to work for him.

Third, and most importantly, it would tie the workers’ fate to his own.

One day, if other capitalists attempted to copy the sidecar design, it wouldn’t just be Charles’ problem—they would also be infringing on the workers’ rights.

At that point, Charles wouldn’t even need to step forward. The workers would organize protests and demonstrations on their own, likely with much greater force than Charles could muster.

Spending a little money for such significant benefits—why not?

Charles’ strategy proved highly effective.

Even with Djoka, Guillaume, and several core members away in Paris, the factory operated smoothly. Workers diligently carried on their tasks, even resuming motorcycle production, as if the factory ran itself.

Charles, meanwhile, stayed home because Camille had locked him in.

"Wait until your father returns!" Camille said firmly. "Otherwise, you’re not going anywhere!"

Charles tried several times to persuade her, but Camille, usually indecisive, was immovably stubborn in this instance.

With no choice, Charles lay idly on his bed, flipping through his textbooks. He wondered whether school would resume soon—after all, the Germans had been repelled and had lost any chance of counterattacking!

Then Charles thought about his classmates, many of whom were around his age and nearing eighteen. By next year, they would likely be heading to the battlefield. What point was there in returning to school?

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