The Fox of France

Chapter 297: The Enlighteners of Russia

Andrei knew right away that the voice he heard belonged to his close friend, Anatole.

"I've got something for you to see," Andrei said without even looking up, "I'm looking for 'The Journal of Scientific Truths.'" He handed Anatole a copy of "The Sun."

Anatole accepted the newspaper and began reading. Meanwhile, Andrei quickly found "The Journal of Scientific Truths" and started reading it attentively.

"I see now! You're right. I should have known earlier. We studied resistance and heat just last month. And didn't we already have incandescent lamps with platinum filaments? I should have guessed it was an incandescent lamp!" Andrei's excitement was so contagious that the newspaper in his hand began to tremble.

"Well, last night was a bit wild. There was a special event, and, oh, I might have overspent a bit in the past few days..." Anatole, still holding "The Sun," started contemplating his expenses.

The two of them stood by the roadside, engrossed in the newspapers, oblivious to the approaching public carriage.

It was Vaska, their coachman, who finally reminded them, "Young masters, the carriage is here!"

"Ah!" Andrei snapped back to reality. He didn't want to risk being late for class. He grabbed Anatole, who was still counting his remaining money, and rushed toward the carriage.

During that day's class, Andrei learned more about electric lighting and received some exciting news: the library would soon be equipped with electric lights for nighttime use.

Apparently, this was a benefit secured by Monsieur Bonaparte, who had requested it from the government specifically for various schools in France. Currently, the benefit was only available in Paris, but it was expected to be extended to the entire country shortly. The benefit included providing two electric lamps for schools with more than a hundred students, along with six hours of free electricity for lighting. Schools that installed their own electric lamps could even get a discount on their electricity bills within a certain range.

Back at their lodging, Andrei met with some new friends from the "Patriotic Society" at a nearby café. He shared the news with them.

"I've heard about it too, Andrei. We might not be able to come here for coffee and study after school anymore. We'll all have to fight for seats in the library," commented Lev, who was studying chemistry. His workload wasn't as heavy as Andrei's, but it certainly surpassed that of the art students. Securing a spot in the library had become a required course for them.

"True," Andrei sighed, "but our teacher mentioned that he's applied to have an electric lamp installed in our laboratory, so I might not need to go to the library then."

"What? Ah, could our teacher do the same in our laboratory? I read in the paper that even the basic electric lamps are quite affordable. Though they have only half the usage time compared to the high-end ones."

"Well, it's visible that we Russians are falling behind in terms of civilization again," Ivan, who studied literature, chimed in, "It's not that we're dumber than the French, but let's be honest – the French get a better education. And it's a fact that more educated people are likely to come out of a population where everyone has the opportunity for learning. In the end, it's all about numbers. If we want to catch up, we need to improve our educational system and give our people a chance."

"You're absolutely right," Lev agreed, "Look at France. They're even providing every school with electric lights! And I heard this is just the beginning. They're planning to invest more in education. Once all these French kids who've had access to education grow up, France is going to see remarkable progress. If the lower classes in Russia had the same opportunities as the French or Prussian children for mandatory education, we could make Russia great again, maybe even restore the glory of Eastern Rome. But as of now, we're treating too many of our people like cattle. It's only pushing us further behind Europe. You know, my uncle once traveled through Europe. At the time, I asked him how much of a gap there was between Russia and Europe. He thought for a moment and said, 'It's probably as big as the gap between us and the Turks.' Back then, I thought he was exaggerating, but now, it seems he was either being very optimistic or, during this time, Europe has sped ahead while we've been left behind. The gap between us and them isn't the same as the gap between us and the Turks anymore. We're even getting closer to the gap between us and the Tatars. If we keep going like this, we might get expelled from the club of civilized nations. We need change, we need a revolution!"

"Revolution?" Andrei was taken aback. He wasn't entirely satisfied with the state of Russia, but he hoped for a more gradual transformation, or perhaps a more forceful one, similar to the reforms of Peter the Great. Revolution...

"Yes, revolution!" When Ivan mentioned the word "revolution," his face flushed as if he had just consumed fine wine.

"Many people use various means to slander and criticize the revolution, portraying it as a celebration of anarchy, unnecessary violence, and even a betrayal of God. But I'm here to tell you, it's all nonsense! If we talk about anarchy, aren't those who degrade naturally free individuals to the level of cattle the true anarchists? Unnecessary violence? Wasn't the violence against slaves necessary for their masters? As for God, when He created our ancestors, did He instruct them not to live as equals, not to love one another, but to exploit and persecute each other? Who has truly betrayed God?

Andrei, Lev, consider this: can the knowledge you're acquiring here in France really be put to use back in Russia? Look at the engineering students; how many of them actually return to Russia? Is it because they lack patriotism? No, it's because the knowledge they acquire here finds no application in Russia at this time!

Now, what about France? Is it inherently a place where anyone with knowledge can find purpose? No, not really, at least not before the revolution! France became what it is today because, during the revolution, they used thunder and flames to purge all the impediments blocking their path. Russia, on the other hand, has suffered far more than France. If just a fraction of the hardships our people endure were placed upon the French, they would have risen in rebellion a hundred times. We Russians have a bad habit of glorifying suffering, of celebrating endurance in the face of hardship. But isn't enduring hardship just another form of tolerating evil?

Andrei, Lev, I dare say, if Russia is ever to rise to the pinnacle of the world, it will be through a revolution akin to the one in France, using thunder and flames to sweep away the scum. I believe this is the path Russia must take to greatness."

"You're right, Ivan," Andrei chimed in, his excitement matching Ivan's, "When I first came to France, I only aimed to excel in science and technology and then return home to either start a factory or teach at a university, passing on the knowledge I've gained to others and slowly raising our people's faith in science.

But you're right; we don't have the luxury of time anymore. Our gap with France isn't narrowing; it's widening, and it's accelerating. If I pursued my earlier plans, Russia might progress gradually, perhaps reaching France's level in a generation. But by then, the French will have sprinted even farther ahead. We're chasing the horse-drawn carriage on a snail's pace. So, tell me, what can I do for Russia, for the revolution?"

"Andrei, my friend, my brother," Ivan responded, "The time for revolution isn't quite ripe yet, so for now, you should keep on studying diligently. When you return to Russia, you can spread knowledge of science and democracy, awaken more people who are willing to embrace revolution.

Andrei, I've studied the French Revolution. It didn't just happen out of thin air. The French people once endured suffering much like our own. But first, they had Voltaire, Rousseau, Montesquieu—the Enlightenment. After that, more French people awakened, leading to the revolution and eventually the prosperous France we see today.

As for us, we haven't even completed our Enlightenment yet. Without sowing, how can we reap? Right now, we need to sow the seeds. Of course, Russia's spring and summer are both brief, so our actions must be faster than the French were in their time."