Chapter 901

Just as mentioned earlier, thinking is a very destructive thing.

You can continue to be good with your best friend or brother, but the premise is not to think about certain details of you being together.

As long as you think about it, think, and interpret, you will find that perhaps you are not the best friends or brothers.

The country of La Pa, the social structure here is the same.

Before Lan Si proposed this theme and led people to think and explore under the situation of having preconceived notions, these La Pa people, including Pedro, didn't feel there was any problem with their country.

So many years, haven't they all lived like this?

From their ancestors, to their grandfathers, to their parents, then to them, then to their children and more distant descendants.

Everyone has lived like this.

Perhaps in some special period, they would feel disappointed with life, but soon they would be fobbed off by "this is life," and then continue to maintain their current life.

It's as if the whole world has a powerful corrective force that allows them to ignore those unreasonable things in life.

And then until Lan Si mentioned it.

Under the situation of having a comparison, some things that people could originally tolerate would be magnified, such as the food problem.

Food is a problem that everyone cannot avoid, because people live, they have to eat.

Everyone has to eat every day.

What is on the dining tables of federal people?

On the dining tables of those underclass people.

It is beef, vegetables, whole wheat bread or bread made of refined flour, and butter, or cheese, or something else.

Clearly everyone is the smallest character at the bottom, why can federal people eat their fill, eat a variety, but La Pa people can only eat garbage-like food?

The labor everyone puts in is the same, why can federal workers obtain the wages needed to satisfy their own and their family's life, but La Pa people can't even fill their stomachs?

Sometimes, to lead a topic astray, only one complaint is needed!

Sometimes the discussion will be very intense, for example, Lan Si asked a question—

"Has the La Pa government played any positive role in the development of the country?"

"Although we are always saying the federal government is not good, and there are people scolding the president or suing the president, the federal government has played a key role in the development of society."

"Under the auspices of the federal government, banks will give loans to small or micro-enterprises, helping them get through the cold winter."

"They will also give some entrepreneurs a certain degree of policy support, or loan support, allowing them to smoothly establish their own business territory."

"The federal government has always played a positive role, so has the La Pa government, the Diego presidential government, played these roles?"

"What role have they played in the social progress of La Pa?"

This topic was obviously to stir up trouble; if it were at the beginning, perhaps the people here would remain silent.

Diego is not a guy to be trifled with; he might be able to suppress his temper towards foreigners, but towards his own people, he has always been synonymous with the Great Demon King.

Only after several rounds of stirring up and guidance, these "ideologically progressive" gentlemen participating in the discussion have completely let go; they began to complain about the inaction of the Diego government.

"I have never heard of ordinary people being able to get loans from banks; although they do have this business, it's just like... Mr. Lan Si, what you heard, we people are all classified as lower-class people."

"We cannot get a single cent from the bank, while those upper-class people, they don't need collateral to get money from the bank."

"The gap between the rich and the poor in society will only get bigger and bigger, and the facts are indeed so; the rich get richer, while we who are poor will only get poorer!"

The speaker gained the approval of the surrounding seminar members, and Pedro couldn't help but express some of his own viewpoints.

"Our government has not played the role a government should play; they haven't thought about helping our country and people achieve common prosperity; they just made themselves rich."

"Look here, all the industries that can make money are either controlled by them, or they must be allowed to buy shares, but they rarely use the money they earn on ordinary people."

"This has formed a vicious cycle; wealth only flows among a small group of people, which is harmful to most people!"

"This is not like the federal government at all; they obtain taxes from the people, and then use this money on the people."

"So even the lowest-level workers, there can be beef on their dining tables!"

Pedro gasped; after saying these words, he felt the whole person was comfortable, just like... being constipated for a long time and suddenly being smooth.

He leaned back on the chair, crossed his hands in front of his chest, "What's worse is that we can't change anything!"

This sentence made the reading room, which was originally a fierce discussion, suddenly quiet down.

Another high school teacher from another city said softly, "The biggest difference between us and the Federation is that the power structure of the Federation is from the bottom up."

"The people elect the politicians they think are reliable and trustworthy through elections."

"The politicians elected by these people built the entire country's system, so the politicians who came out of the people will definitely consider the interests of the people."

"But in La Pa, power is from the top down, and it is hereditary."

"The president's son is still the president, the minister's son is still the minister, as for us?"

"The commoner's son will always be a commoner!"

The guy speaking is over fifty years old, his hair is already gray, his body is thin, he wears a pair of round black-framed glasses, the lenses look a bit blurry, it should have been used for a long time.

He took off his glasses, wiped the lenses with his clothes, and put them back on, "I have worn these glasses for seventeen or eighteen years; it's not that they have any special meaning to me, just because I can't bear to spend money to buy a new pair."

"Because the new ones are expensive, requiring two months of my salary."

"This is La Pa, so bad that it makes people feel suffocated!"

"Without changing the current social structure, let alone catching up with the Federation, we can't even take the first step!"

The room suddenly became quiet; he reached the core of the problem; La Pa's power does not come from the people, so the people will not benefit from this ruling thing.

This is a dead knot; without changing these, it seems that one will never be able to develop like the Federation.

Lan Si's face had more smiles; if a person has never been disappointed, or even desperate, how could he have the idea of opening up a new path?

"What about the Republic of Jiede?", Lan Si asked, "The power of the Republic of Jiede also seems to be hereditary; I heard that their power has always been circulating in a small group, which is very similar to the situation in La Pa."

"Why can the Republic of Jiede do it, but La Pa can't?"

People will lose some thinking ability when they are in intense emotions; if they were calm now, they would feel that Lan Si seems to be guiding them.

But now their emotions are surging, and they can't consider the situation here at all; the middle-aged and elderly teacher continued, "The ruling class of the Republic of Jiede is relatively enlightened and also very smart."

"They know the benefits that a strong country brings to them, and they have also tasted the sweetness from it, so they have become increasingly civilized and open, just like the Federation."

"Perhaps they will not let the people decide who the ruler is in the end, but they will hand over a part of the development dividends to the hands of ordinary people, instead of depositing them into their own banks."

"This is the biggest difference; we need a group of smart...", his words suddenly stopped here, without continuing, but everyone knew the meaning he wanted to express.

La Pa is controlled by a group of greedy and stupid ruling groups, delaying their development and also making the people live in pain.

"Changing a ruler" is a very dangerous thought, but this thought has strong survival and infectious ability.

If you don't breed this thought, then you won't consider it further.

But once you have this thought, it will entangle you like a devil, the tighter you grasp it.

The room was very silent; everyone had their own thoughts; group consciousness was vividly displayed at this moment!

When a leader appears in a chaotic crowd, those sheep without direction will surge towards the position of this leader.

Change a president.

Change a group of rulers!

This dangerous information turned into nutrients to nourish dangerous seeds, entering everyone's heart.

However, no one continued to discuss this problem, and Lan Si didn't continue to guide the topic here, but talked about education, talked about the different education systems between the two countries.

There are many teachers here; they are more concerned about this problem and know more about it.

Pedro also joined the fierce discussion again.

Unknowingly, it came to dinner time; Lan Si took them to a nearby restaurant; he booked the whole restaurant.

Food more delicious than at noon, more cooking techniques, some participants couldn't help but sigh at this moment, this is the true meaning of "life," not just living.

When returning to the hotel at night, Pedro was organizing some things recorded in the discussion during the day; after checking once, he put them in the bedside table, and then lay on the bed, waiting to rest.

Federal televisions are not popularized, let alone La Pa.

There is a radio station here, but there is only one radio station, and it doesn't work many times.

It only makes sounds during holidays, singing praises of the ruling group.

Pedro lying on the bed had no sleepiness at all; he lay on the pillow thinking about the things they discussed in the afternoon.

Gradually, those "elements" discussed gradually condensed together, forming a more complete thought in his heart.

If the current ruling group is not replaced, La Pa people will never be happy, and it will never be possible to welcome development like the Federation, not even as good as the Republic of Jiede.

This made Pedro suddenly become very desperate!

The dark night tightly bound him at this time; he gasped for air, and his breathing became exceptionally heavy!

He closed his eyes, and after a long while, his emotions were relieved.

When people are desperate, they are really very desperate!

If he didn't know all this, he would be like those people outside, those ordinary people, those people sleeping on the side of the road, thinking nothing, considering nothing.

When the day dawned, he would smile at the people around him; when the day turned dark, he would find a place to nest for a night; perhaps he wouldn't have so many worries.

He thought of his children, thought of the life of federal students in the movies, thought of the children being able to breathe fresh air with a sweet taste under such free sky, drinking sweet water, enjoying the freedom from the inside out, he had an impulse!

People should be free; nature raised humans, not to let humans be locked in a cage as soon as they are born.

People also need freedom; only by soaring in the free sky can they bloom with brilliant light!

He thought a lot at night, and finally fell into a deep sleep in a daze.

When he woke up the next morning, he looked slightly haggard; when leaving the hotel, he happened to meet the middle-aged and elderly teacher from yesterday.

The two greeted each other and walked towards the library together.

"Do you think... what is the purpose of federal people letting us participate in these seminars, playing movies for us, and promoting various content?", Pedro asked.

He actually already had an answer in his heart, but he didn't believe it himself, or rather, he didn't think this result was feasible.

The middle-aged and elderly teacher smiled, "Many times in class, when a student asks me a question that is not within the scope of learning, I am more inclined to let him think for himself."

"Actually, he doesn't know that when he asks this question, he already has an answer in his heart, but he is not sure."

"Not sure if the answer in his heart and the answer in our textbook are consistent, if it is that correct answer, so he will ask."

"Pedro, can I call you that?"

Pedro nodded and said, "Of course."

"When you ask me this question, is it that in your heart, you already have an answer, but you are also not sure if this answer is correct?"

Looking at the smile on the old teacher's face, Pedro had already obtained what he wanted.

From the subtle changes in his face and expression, the old teacher laughed, "My thoughts are the same as yours; they didn't come with kindness."

"But I only saw their unkindness, not aimed at us, but aimed at those people who have influenced La Pa for so many years."

"As for the unkindness towards us, I haven't discovered it yet; I think they really need us."

"Perhaps this is the reason why they constantly show us, let us understand the freedom, human rights, and democracy of the Federation; they want to use these things to buy us."

The two crossed the road and ran a few steps.

Although there are not many vehicles on Zhuo Lan Street, it doesn't mean there are none.

The police here are elusive; they will drive away those ordinary people who stay on the road, and the way to drive them away is to beat them with the sticks in their hands.

Both are teachers; they don't want to be chased by sticks.

Pedro could feel the old teacher's wisdom; he humbly asked for advice, "Do you think this is a good thing or a bad thing for us?"

The old teacher smiled and pursed his lips, "This question is hard to explain clearly; I'll give an example."

"We are all poor people, and those people are rich people; now there is a group of outsiders telling us."

"They will give us money and let us support them; do you think this is a good thing or a bad thing?"

Pedro answered with thought, "In the short term, it is a good thing."

The old teacher also saw it this way, "Yes, at least we have obtained money now; as for the future..."

He stopped his footsteps, with that faint smile on his face, "Our life is already like this; even if it gets worse, where else can it get worse?"

This sentence was obviously biased; after a brief thought, Pedro also agreed with his idea, "You said, even if it gets worse, it can't get worse anywhere."

The old teacher sighed slightly, "Actually... I don't have any prejudice or dissatisfaction with them... well, a little bit."

"It's just that we should take a look at this world."

"The world before only had this small piece of place in front of us; we could maintain that kind of life, because being weak and backward would not bring destruction."

"But the situation is different now, Pedro; the war happening is telling us that being weak will be destroyed!"

"Our family, ourselves, property, land, everything will become someone else's spoils of war."

"I know saying this might make you feel... I am a bit unrealistic, but I want to tell you."

"If we don't change, it might be too late."

"I don't want my children and grandchildren to become slaves; although the Federation abolished slavery, they didn't say that overseas territories also abolished slavery."

"And this is also an opportunity, an opportunity to break the class barrier."

"No matter what you think, I will take the initiative to grasp it."

He stopped here, then patted Pedro's arm and walked into the library.

Pedro looked back at the bustling street and crowd under the steps, looked at the gray sun, stood there in a daze for a while, and then followed into the library.

For several days in a row, the people participating in the seminar in the library experienced a "baptism"; they came into contact with many things, such as "the spirit of freedom," "power comes from the people," "the working class and ordinary people are the main body of the country."

If the local ruling group knew they were discussing these topics, they would definitely tell them that these are the conspiracies of capitalist countries and are poisonous drugs.

But for people like Pedro, this is a kind of honey, a honey that can make them feel the future and hope, it is a panacea!

(End of chapter)