Chapter 490: Queen Marie's Resolve
Queen Marie hurriedly picked up the document in front of her, but unsure of what point they had reached, she glanced at Joseph for help.
Seeing her son's slight nod, she immediately assumed a commanding posture and nodded. "I approve of the proposal. Archbishop Briand, please prepare the relevant decree."
Briand bowed and replied, "Yes, Your Majesty."
Joseph inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed that his gradual approach was working.
Although the proposal focused on officials in the fields of water management and roadworks—seemingly minor sectors—once this decree was signed, it would establish the precedent that officials must pass exams to qualify for their positions.
The key here was how "positions requiring professional knowledge" would be defined. There was a lot of room for interpretation. Would finance require specialized knowledge? How about industrial management, agriculture, trade, or law?
Over time, more and more positions could be included under this system of professional examinations, and eventually, all government positions would be subject to it. That would mark the completion of the most important step in the reform of France's bureaucratic system.
By that point, other universities like the University of Paris or the University of Toulouse could offer courses, while the Royal Administrative University would focus solely on exams. This would essentially become the complete version of a civil service examination, signaling the conclusion of the reform.
Most importantly, this gradual process wouldn't provoke strong resistance from the current bureaucratic class.
Of course, some would be unhappy with this new system. After all, some nobles would no longer be able to rely solely on their connections to secure high-ranking positions for their incompetent descendants. However, after witnessing the grand display of police power, any dissatisfaction would likely be reduced to mere complaints—nothing more.
In fact, even this kind of civil service exam system still heavily favored the nobles.
For one, university tuition fees were prohibitively expensive, far beyond the reach of common families.
Secondly, the noble families were more familiar with the curriculum at the Royal Administrative University. After all, their fathers were among the first to study there. Unlike the future internet age, where civil service exam questions could be found everywhere, commoners, even if they mastered their subjects, would still struggle to outperform the nobles.
This setup would make the nobility more accepting of the exam system because they would continue to control most government positions.
Joseph wasn't aiming for absolute equality. In the 18th century, the nobility still played an indispensable role.
Briand then continued, "The next proposal is from His Highness, the Prince. He suggests the creation of 'auxiliary administrative bodies,' which would be able to step in and manage affairs if the main administrative departments encounter any unforeseen circumstances."
Seeing that the ministers didn't fully understand, Joseph explained, "This idea came to me during the recent corruption trials.
"As you know, over 40 officials are currently on trial in the courts, and most of them will likely be convicted. The responsibilities they once managed will face significant delays. This is a risk we need to consider.
"So, I propose establishing these 'auxiliary administrative bodies.' These would mirror the roles of existing government departments but would not have any real authority during normal times.
"However, if something unexpected happens to the current officials, we could immediately call upon members of the auxiliary bodies to take over."
Baron de Breteuil, the Minister of Justice, frowned and said, "But, Your Highness, wouldn't this lead to a significant increase in salary expenses for these additional officials? And as you said, most of the time, these 'auxiliary officials' wouldn't be doing much of anything…"
Joseph smiled. "Your concern is valid, which is why the salaries for auxiliary officials would be set relatively low. And they could still help with tasks like organizing files and copying documents."
"But this still seems…"
Mirabeau, observing the Prince's expression, stood up and said, "Baron de Breteuil, do you know how long the government functions were disrupted during the trials due to the imprisonment of so many officials? In some regions, it lasted over a month.
"The resulting losses were enough to pay the entire national civil service for half a year. I believe the Prince's suggestion is excellent—not only can it ensure the stability of government operations, but it also gives idle nobles a chance to contribute to the country."
Joseph flashed Mirabeau a look of approval. Claiming this would "allow nobles to contribute to the country" was a clever spin.
Joseph's real goal was to create a bunch of "dummy positions" to accommodate those who had paid for their official posts. Since these people had paid good money and had agreements with the government, it wouldn't be easy to dismiss them unless they committed serious offenses.
Thus, he was taking inspiration from the Ming dynasty's practice of appointing officials to powerless positions. These "auxiliary" roles would have the same titles as their previous ones, but without any actual authority—like being transferred from the capital to a secondary, inactive office.
Eventually, as professional examinations became more widespread, those who were only interested in making money would find themselves stuck in these auxiliary roles, waiting for retirement.
As for the added salary expenses, Joseph didn't see it as wasted money.
On the contrary, replacing corrupt officials with capable ones would bring significant benefits to the country, far outweighing their salaries.
Moreover, auxiliary officials could still handle clerical tasks, which would reduce the need to hire regular clerks. In the end, the extra cost wouldn't be that high.
Baron de Breteuil, thinking that the Prince just wanted to create more positions to sell, said nothing more and quietly sat down.
This time, Queen Marie was paying attention. Seeing that none of the ministers objected, she signed the document Briand handed her. Such small-scale administrative adjustments didn't even require the king's approval.
After discussing other routine matters, this seemingly unremarkable cabinet meeting, which would have a profound impact on France's future, came to an end.
As Queen Marie watched Briand leave, she suddenly recalled a moment from the meeting and called out to him.
Briand turned back and bowed. "Your Majesty, is there something else you require?"
The Queen hesitated before asking, "Archbishop Briand, do you think that if I were to stop attending cabinet meetings, the Prince could still lead the ministers and handle the affairs of state properly?"
Briand thought to himself: Of course, the Prince has already been holding up the kingdom. In fact, without you attending, the meetings might run even more smoothly.
But outwardly, he put on an expression of shock and said loudly, "Your Majesty, you are the soul of France. If you were not here to lead the cabinet, it would be a disaster for the nation!"
(End of Chapter)
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