Infinite Reincarnation – Arthur Hurt - Chapter 206



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Infinite Reincarnation – Arthur Hurt Chapter 206

36-Class conflict

Not all businessmen were capable enough to pay sufficient wages and make sufficient profits. Even such businessmen inevitably faced similarly capable people in today’s fiercely competitive environment, like knights in a tournament.

Even if they were to collude in such a situation, saying, “Let’s compete without any hassle,” the possibility of adding the condition of “paying our employees enough wages” was lower than winning the lottery. The core of the collusion was to reduce the risk of market competition, not to improve workers’ rights.

Moreover, if only one side unilaterally paid ‘sufficient wages’ and the accumulated capital was weakened, the collusion could be broken at any time.

This is because it increases the likelihood that they will think, “Why maintain collusion when I can just eat all that shit over there?”

In short, the problem was the very structure of this fiercely competitive world.

At Arthur’s words, Ossarin Conte asked.

“Then how can we make them reach out to the miserable reality of workers?”

“Well? When there are no competitors?”

“Will that really happen? I haven’t heard of any railroad workers getting a raise… … .”

When Ossarin Conte looked skeptical, Arthur said something jokingly.

“Well… … That gentleman is a bit older, so once the North-South railway project is completed, he might be interested in charity work.”

“Is that really so?”

“Even those who were just about to leave, telling others to spit on their grave, will eventually change their minds in the later years of their lives when they have enough in their hands.”

The steel magnate who bloodily suppressed workers who went on a large-scale strike because they could not stand exploitation with his mercenary army, and the oil magnate who killed children by firing machine guns in the name of suppressing the strike, were both very successful in their later years in cleaning up their image through massive donations and charity work. Could this be a typical example of earning like a dog and spending like a prime minister?

Well, from Arthur’s perspective, giving and charity were privileges and acts of power. They were acts that only the wealthy could do, and they were also an exercise of influence that distinguished those who received charity from those who did not. Those who had tasted charity and charity could not easily criticize or antagonize those who gave to them.

Anyway, Osarin Conte’s expression hardened at Arthur’s words.

“So, in the end, what you’re saying is that you have to feel the inevitable pressure on your skin.”

A person facing death inevitably looks back on his or her life. If you think about it, it means that it was difficult to do so before.

Arthur replied.

“Humans are creatures of inertia. Unless you are a monk who examines your mind every day, you will generally continue to live the way you have always lived.”

In cases like Hans, who gave up farming and sought a different direction, he should have been applauded as being enterprising. Although his method was somewhat crude, it was not without significance in that he struggled to break away from the stable path of inheriting all of his father’s land as the eldest son. There were not as many people as you might think who could abandon the stable path and take an adventure.

Ossarin Conte was silent for a moment, then opened his mouth.

“Then what is the significance of the series of large and small strikes that have occurred this time?”

“Well… … First of all, the workers took collective action to defend their rights. That’s the most important thing.”

“But can collective action alone change employers’ attitudes?”

“It would be impossible. Right now, it would just be like an earthworm that squirms when you step on it.”

“… … It’s miserable.”

“That’s the era now.”

The world is cruel to the weak. It’s not just now, it’s always been that way.

From a different perspective, factory owners and entrepreneurs were those who struggled to remain in a strong position rather than fall into the weak position.

In the process, he didn’t care even though his whole body was covered in dirt and filth. Why? Because everyone else is like that.

Their rivals were beasts that would roll around in the mud just to win the competition, just like they did. Since they were called Geunmokjaheuk, it was only natural that if you got involved with such Jinseung, you would roll around in the mud together.

“The strike will continue.”

“That cannot disappear as long as there are employers and employees.”

“Wouldn’t it disappear when we reach an era where workers are guaranteed minimal rights?”

Arthur responded with a polite smile.

“What are those minimum rights, and who determines them and how?”

“… … .”

Ossarin Conte was speechless for a moment, but then answered.

“At least it won’t be your employer.”

“Ah… … I’m not talking about that dimension. I’m talking about the essential dimension of human nature.”

“what…….”

“Humans are creatures that never know satisfaction.”

“… … !”

Arthur continued talking, putting a bite of food in his mouth with his fork and chewing it.

“Well… … if today you get the right to eat potatoes, well… … tomorrow you get the right to eat bread, and the day after that you get the right to eat white, soft bread, and gulp, today you get the right to eat meat.”

“… … ..”

“Why would factory owners try to beat up striking workers instead of negotiating with them? Because they are proving that human greed has no limits.”

With that greed, they built a business and exploited workers to increase their wealth. For businessmen of this era, tireless greed was a virtue that they had to possess as a businessperson.

Osarin listened to Arthur’s words, was silent for a moment, and then opened his mouth.

“Most workers just don’t want to starve their families.”

“So most workers would work peacefully if only those rights were guaranteed?”

“yes.”

“Even if that were true, employers wouldn’t think that way. People see the world from their own perspective.”

Arthur did not agree with Osarin’s words, but while agreeing with the premise, he presented an interpretation from a different perspective. The saying goes that Buddha’s eyes only see Buddha, and pigs’ eyes only see pigs. Humans are animals that think that others will be the same because they are the same.

Arthur’s remark made Osarin feel as if he was wandering in a maze with no exit.

“Then there is no way?”

“What method?”

“A way for workers to go to work peacefully and return home to a warm home to spend time with their families.”

“Um… … . It’s difficult.”

Arthur couldn’t answer easily, because there was no way ‘everyone’ could do that.

“The truth of life that I have felt so far can be summarized in this one sentence.”

“What is that?”

“A thirsty man digs a well.”

“… … .”

“No one will come and dig a well for me when I am thirsty.”

“But is it possible?”

If you dig a well, will water come out?

“You never know if you’ll get thirsty and fall down halfway through digging, or if the water will burst in the middle.”

There were a variety of ways to dig a well there. You could dig it alone, you could communicate with others and persuade them to dig with you, or you could brandish guns and order them to dig.

But whatever the method, it was a true human will. The outcome was up to Heaven alone.

“okay.”

Osarin Conte nodded heavily. Arthur asked him.

“Please eat quickly.”

When Arthur suggested that they eat and go home since it seemed like they had had enough conversation, Ossarin Conte said this.

“I have a confession to make.”

“yes?”

Confession? Arthur tilted his head at the strange word.

“These current strikes were caused by me.”

“……yes?”

“I am behind the surprise strike that is happening now.”

Osarin Conte’s eyes darkened.

* * *

Ossarin Conte. Age 33. Born into a poor working class family, but born with a natural intellect.

Perhaps because he was smart, he also liked books, so he went around looking for books and met the bookstore owner, Cordell. He worked at the bookstore from a young age and furthered his studies. Then, with the support of a bourgeois who visited the bookstore, he entered the academy and became a lawyer.

This was a rough outline of Ossarin Conte’s past.

“My father passed away while I was preparing for the bar exam. The cause of death was an accident at work.”

Ossarin Comte did not have many good memories of his father. Most of his memories were of his father always tired from hard work and sleeping.

However, my father’s unexpected accident became an opportunity for me to reflect on his life, and at the same time, it became an opportunity for me to feel that my father had fulfilled his responsibilities as a father, and at the same time, it became an opportunity for me to take an interest in the reality of workers.

And the more I looked into it, the more disgusting it became. This country’s industries flourished on the blood, tears, and corpses of workers.

When Osarin became aware of this reality, he began to think that something had to change.

“That’s why I threw myself into republicanism.”

I wonder if the expansion of the rights of the common people will change this harsh structure of exploitation.

But as I became more involved in republicanism, met with the bourgeoisie, and learned more about their thinking, a bleak reality began to appear before my eyes. I began to think that even if republicanism were to be achieved, the fruits of its labor would not be shared with the workers.

That idea turned into conviction during the city sanitation project that demolished four slums.

Intellectuals who do not consider the position of the poor in public interest at all, and businessmen who are willing to oppose public interest for the sake of lower labor costs? Are these people republicans?

One day, as I was feeling depressed day after day, Congressman Fried came into my office with an excited expression. He told me that Arthur was interested in converting to republicanism. It was a sensitive topic, but Ossarin Conte was a long-time republican comrade of Congressman Fried, so he was able to hear such sensitive stories.

Then the thrilling part was Arthur’s plan to put guns in the hands of all the people.

To be honest, the modifier ‘all’ was clearly an exaggeration and exaggeration in reality, and it was also an expression that contained Rep. Fried’s dramatization, but Osarin interpreted its meaning as follows.

Justice without power is empty. So let’s give the people the power of guns. Let them find their own rights! It was an epiphany that was in line with what Arthur had just said, “A thirsty man digs a well.”

Osarin shuddered and went one step further. He foresaw that no matter how many guns the people had in their hands, if they were scattered, they would be defeated one by one by the wisdom of the higher-ups.

So he decided to prepare an organization in advance. He created a so-called ‘labor union’ to gather strength so that the higher-ups would listen to the grievances of the exploited.

It wasn’t a special organization. Things like unions already existed under the name of guilds. Isn’t a guild an organization where people who do similar work collude for mutual benefit?

If that’s the case, wouldn’t it be possible for workers as well? Craftsmen with technical skills and companies with capital collude for their own benefit, so why can’t workers collude? No one has ever accepted the rubber band yardstick that says, “I can do it, but you can’t.”

“Hmm… … .”

Arthur listened to Ossarin Conte’s confession for a long time. It wasn’t because he was curious about his story, but because he couldn’t help but think, ‘What should I do with this crazy guy?’