Chapter 485: The French Royal Administrative University
As dusk began to fall, the Prince's carriage finally departed from the First National Prison. Sitting inside, Joseph glanced at the list of over 30 officials in his hand, smiled, and handed it to Eymard.
"Please place this in the storage cabinet in my study."
"Yes, Your Highness."
Joseph hadn't requested this list to start a purge of officials. While those listed were involved in corruption and dereliction of duty, they hadn't directly opposed the tax reform, so it wasn't advisable to act against them for now.
Politics often requires targeted actions. Officials need to understand whether they are safe or not. This way, those not involved will distance themselves from the targets and support the crown.
If a political purge spreads too broadly, it would create panic among the officials, leading them to take measures to protect themselves, which could ultimately result in political instability.
However, using this list to remind the bureaucrats of their place was perfectly appropriate. Those in power can easily forget who they serve and who the real authority is unless they're occasionally reminded.
The next day, Joseph returned to the First National Prison, this time with Fouché in tow. Joseph personally "visited" one of the governor's assistants who had been imprisoned by Marat. Fouché, following Joseph's instructions, went to see the municipal commissioner, Caston, in his cell.
Joseph had limited time and could only deal with provincial-level officials. The smaller players were left for the intelligence agency to handle, especially since many involved officials hadn't been brought to Paris. He couldn't afford to travel the country dealing with each case.
Joseph estimated that after he had "talked" with all 40+ officials, he would have gathered incriminating information on about a thousand officials.
In France, excluding North Africa and Luxembourg, there were only about ten thousand officials of significance.
With enough leverage on these individuals, he could initiate civil service reforms.
As he watched the assistant governor of Picardy, hunched over and writing down confessions, Joseph silently formulated his plan:
First, he would make the officials very nervous. Then, the crown would step in as a savior, rescuing them at the last minute.
Those who had received such mercy from the King would surely not refuse the opportunity to attend a university to improve their professional skills as a way to repay the King's kindness.
Joseph knew that France's bureaucratic system had been running for many years and had developed a strong resistance to change. Implementing a civil service exam, similar to what had been done in North Africa, would likely provoke strong opposition from both the bureaucrats and the nobility.
So, he would have to take a different approach.
The plan was to establish the "French Royal Administrative University," with the King as the head. Many high-ranking officials would be required to attend for further education.
Over time, graduates of this university—the "academy alumni"—would begin to outshine their "unofficially trained" colleagues, forcing the latter to seek education themselves.
At that point, entrance exams could be introduced.
If someone couldn't pass the entrance exam, well, they wouldn't need to be dismissed by the crown—the academy graduates would marginalize them on their own.
Eventually, the system would evolve to the point where anyone who didn't have a degree from the Administrative University wouldn't even dream of entering public service.
This would eventually lead to a situation where even lower-level positions, such as clerks, secretaries, and data managers, would be required to attend the university for training.
At that stage, the entrance exam for the Administrative University would effectively become the civil service exam for France. Without anyone noticing, the most critical step of the civil service reform would be complete!
The biggest challenge in implementing this plan would be convincing as many officials as possible to attend the university.
The current widespread corruption scandal provided Joseph with the perfect opportunity.
As Joseph mulled over his civil service reform plans, the carriage came to a halt. Eymard reminded him, "Your Highness, we've arrived at Notre-Dame Cathedral."
Joseph nodded and looked out the window to see Archbishop Beaumont of Paris, along with a large group of clergy, respectfully waiting for him in the square in front of the cathedral.
He smiled and stepped out of the carriage, greeted the approaching Archbishop Beaumont, and got straight to the point.
"Your Grace, I need your help to establish a university."
Indeed, when it came to education, there was no better partner than the "Ministry of Education" of France—the Catholic Church.
The Church not only had extensive experience in running educational institutions but also had a vested interest in maintaining the authority of the crown.
And unlike a police academy, where a warehouse and a training ground might suffice, the Royal Administrative University would represent the face of the French bureaucracy, and its facilities would need to be up to par.
Archbishop Beaumont's face lit up at the request. The Prince wanting to build a university meant a large budget would flow through the Church—a rare and lucrative opportunity.
He nodded enthusiastically. "Your Highness, it would be my great honor to assist you. What kind of university do you wish to build, and how large should it be?"
"The Royal Administrative University," Joseph explained as he led the way to the reception room behind Notre-Dame. "It will primarily teach courses in economics, management, social studies, law, and engineering. Oh, and the courses don't need to be as in-depth as those taught at the University of Paris. They should be designed to be completed within a year, or even six months."
He then provided a general overview of the university's purpose and continued, "As for the scale, we'll start with space for 1,500 students, but it should be built with room for expansion."
Archbishop Beaumont signaled his assistant to take notes and offered numerous suggestions on the logistics of establishing the university. Finally, he rubbed his hands together and smiled, "Your Highness, the timeline you've given us is rather tight—only three months. This might lead to a significant increase in construction costs…"
Joseph nodded indifferently. "The Church may need to advance some of the costs."
"Ah, thank you, Your Highness..." Beaumont reflexively replied, but then his eyes widened in shock. "Wait, Your Highness, you want the Church to front the money? This university could cost 500,000 francs to build! How can the Church afford that…?"
Joseph patted him on the back and leaned in close. "The Church has an estate east of the Seine that could be converted for this purpose. It shouldn't cost that much, and the work could be completed faster."
Beaumont was about to protest when Joseph gave him a knowing smile and lowered his voice. "Archbishop, a large number of officials are likely to be investigated soon. I think it would be a good idea to have some Church members ready to fill a few positions."
This civil service reform was essentially a massive operation on the French state. Joseph couldn't predict all the obstacles he might face, so he decided it would be prudent to have the Church on his side.
The Church might not have the same power it had during the reign of Louis XIII, but its political influence was still significant. By bringing the Church into the fold, Joseph could ensure they wouldn't align with the bureaucratic system against him.
(End of Chapter)
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