The Rise Of Australasia

Chapter 547: 1921



Three days after Christmas, the coast of Australasia was crowded with tourists and locals alike.

This is a rather unique feature of Australasian tourism; while the northern hemisphere is experiencing a cold winter, Australasia is in the midst of summer.

The contrasting seasons between Australasia and the northern hemisphere make it particularly attractive for tourists from Europe and the United States.

No one can resist traveling to a cooler place during hot summers, nor can they refuse to vacation in a warmer place during cold winters.

Moreover, due to Australasia's distinct position in the southern hemisphere as the most powerful nation, it naturally possesses the finest tourism resources in the region, attracting a significant share of tourists from the northern hemisphere.

Indeed, the annual tourism data demonstrates this; since the end of the war, Australasia's tourism industry has been steadily climbing, with the number of tourists increasing at an astonishing rate year after year.

In 1920, the entire Australasian tourism industry welcomed 37.352 million visitors, of which 57.1% were domestic tourists, accounting for 21.32799 million visits. Foreign tourists made up 42.9%, totaling 16.02461 million visits.

The data here only calculates the number of tourists received in various regions and does not provide specific figures.

A person might visit several tourist attractions in one year, which is the actual reason for the total tourist count reaching as high as 37 million visits.
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The total of 37.352 million tourist visits brought in 44.8733 million Australian dollars in revenue for the Australasian tourism industry and generated 3.879 million Australian dollars in tax revenue for the Australasian Government.

These figures represent substantial growth compared to 1919, making the Australasian economy appear even more prosperous.

Although there is a serious unemployment crisis in many countries, it has not stopped the rapid development of the global economy.

Especially for the European countries that participated in World War I, the speed of economic recovery has been incredibly swift, creating the illusion of post-war prosperity.

According to the economic reports published by various countries, almost all powerful nations are experiencing economic growth rates of more than 6%, except for Russia, which is currently embroiled in a civil war.

Such positive news has left people in these countries dizzy, and many media outlets are touting the arrival of global prosperity.

Is it truly prosperity? Perhaps not.

Although the economies of all these countries have experienced tremendous growth, which countries have actually restored their economies to pre-war levels?

Besides the United States, Australasia, and the island nation, no other powerful nations have been able to return to pre-war standards. Is this the real definition of prosperity?

So, why do European countries continue to promote this notion of economic prosperity?

Ultimately, it is because the politicians in these countries want to embellish their records and present a façade of the current state of their nations.

Can they not see the crises within their countries? Of course not. However, with all the restrictions and the various difficult conditions that exist, resolving the crisis could be not only difficult but also yield scant benefit.

Foreign politicians' terms last only a few years anyway, so as long as they can hold on until the end of their tenures, why would they risk their careers on the next government's well-being?

With the government's efforts, Australasia's agricultural progress has achieved remarkable success.

Currently, the total arable land in Australasia stands at 39.77 million acres, with a total grain production of 19.20 million tons, marking a 4.1% growth rate compared to last year.

Although Australasia's population stands at 22.574 million people, the abundant food production is still enough to feed the entire population for three years.

The government has done an excellent job in achieving the four-year plan's food production goals, and there is a good chance that Australasian grain production will exceed 20 million tons before the plan is fully completed.

Despite food production greatly exceeding domestic demand, many foreign countries face a food crisis, making crop production still highly profitable.

According to financial department statistics, in 1920, the per capita income in Australasia reached 60.1 Australian dollars, breaking the 60 Australian dollar mark for the first time.

In Australasia, the income from planting on one acre of land is approximately 17 to 22 Australian dollars. With an average of nearly three acres of arable land per person, farmers' per capita income falls in the range of 51 to 66 Australian dollars, roughly aligning with the average income.

While there seems to be some discrepancy with average incomes, annual fluctuations in food prices also impact farmers' livelihoods.

Moreover, farmers' daily food expenses are essentially at cost. Although their income might be slightly lower than urban populations, their expenses are significantly lower, meaning their standard of living is not necessarily lower than city dwellers.

Due to the enticing income from farming, a considerable portion of Australasia's population chooses to purchase land and establish farms.

No matter the size of the farm, food has ample distribution channels. Several large and small food companies have emerged, dedicated to addressing food sales issues.

As long as they comply with the relevant Australasian regulations, the government does not impose too many restrictions on these grain import and export companies.

It is worth mentioning that a considerable number of the newly ennobled aristocrats granted land by Arthur have also chosen to build castles on their fiefdoms and plant all the remaining land with food crops.

Arthur does not object to this, as the land has been granted to them and they now hold the property rights.

As long as they do not establish a nation or territory without sovereignty, they are free to do as they wish on the land in accordance with the law.

Arthur actually prefers to see these new aristocrats leading the way in farming. The land granted to these people is mostly newly reclaimed, and their farming does not impact the original development plan of Australasia.

Not only can their farms increase Australasia's food production, but the food produced is also controlled by the aristocracy, which likewise strengthens Arthur's influence.

As long as Arthur is willing, the food produced by these aristocrats can become his food reserve. Having food at hand provides peace of mind. This saying never goes out of date.

As time passes into 1921, the aristocratic school established specifically for the children of the new aristocracy has been completed and opened.

This aristocratic school is called Sydney Royal College, and its annual tuition fee is an unimaginable figure for ordinary people. Moreover, the admission criteria are very rigorous, with an extremely strict screening system.

Apart from the children of the new aristocracy, those who can enter this school to study are basically the offspring of high-ranking officials or well-known scientific research experts and scientific workers.

This school starts from kindergarten, with elementary, middle, and high schools established, so it can be said to handle a person's entire learning career.

The purpose of establishing this school is simple: first, to cultivate the descendants of the new aristocracy and ensure that the future aristocracy, i.e., the future kings and rulers, are not useless and can serve the royal family and the nation.

Secondly, the aristocratic school can more closely unite the entire aristocratic class. Arthur has decided to send his children to this school to familiarize them with more descendants of the new aristocracy and cultivate relationships with their subordinates from a young age.

It is precisely because of the unique purpose of this school that its training system differs significantly from that of ordinary schools.

The Royal College's training system can be roughly divided into two types: one for national governance and political affairs, and the other for military matters.

Under these two major systems, there are detailed subdivisions including political science, economics, management, etc. Depending on each student's personality and traits, tailor-made academic plans can be made for them.

In short, the Royal College is specifically designed to cultivate talents in national governance and military affairs for the royal family and the country. These aristocratic graduates will become Arthur's or future monarchs' left and right-hand men.

The aristocracy's loyalty to Arthur has been ensured by the nature of the new nobles. Their rights are granted by Arthur, who can control this class at will.

Under such circumstances, it becomes necessary to enhance the capabilities of the new aristocracy and the next generation of aristocrats.

The aristocratic class is always the monarch's left and right-hand men, and their capabilities somewhat determine the ruler's ability.

Of course, not all royal family members will attend the Royal College to avoid creating class contradictions in education.

Apart from the designated heir, other children can freely choose their preferred schools and majors.

However, the education industry in Australasia has developed quite a reputation internationally after many years.

Well-known universities and colleges, such as the National College and the Royal Military Academy, have a very high reputation among powerful countries and there is no need to worry about the quality of education in these institutions.

Whether it is the Royal College or other universities, Australasia's universities have a rather unique feature.

Emphasizing practical application and lighter on theory has always been the development direction of Australasian universities. Of course, this doesn't mean that they completely disregard theory.

It just means that on the basis of emphasizing theory, practice is considered more important in Australasian universities.

Furthermore, with annual military training at universities, the graduates of these institutions can proudly claim that they are capable and physically strong.

The ability of college graduates largely determines the development speed of a country's various industries, especially in this era.

Now is not the era of a large number of college graduates, and after 20 years of development, Australasia's education has only raised the average level to that of middle school.

Due to the large number of immigrants coming in every year, it is challenging to raise the average education level to a high school level in a short period of time.

After all, higher education begins with high school, and an average high school education also implies an increase in the number of college students and a drop in the gold content of college degrees.


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