Chapter 330: Ionia: Getting Rich
The example Levi gives is not a very good one.
Because many of the leaders present were native Ionians.
They have hardly ever left their hometown in their entire lives. Some have even stayed in the countryside for most of their lives, and have barely been to the city a few times, let alone going overseas to broaden their horizons.
So they knew almost nothing about the specific situation in Bilgewater.
So, it's embarrassing...
Levi wanted to use questions to inspire everyone to think, but the result was only confusion.
"I understand..." But in this silent environment, Riven, Fia and other few people with a global vision still reacted in time: "The problem is here-"
Why do people not know the specific situation in Piraeus? Because there is little communication between the Ionian people and overseas.
Even in the province of Barue, where the maritime economy was prosperous and foreign goods were everywhere, most people had never left their hometowns or been exposed to information from the outside world.
Why is this happening?
"Because fundamentally, Ionia is still an agricultural society, and its economy is generally closed, independent and self-sufficient."
"But Bilgewater has always been part of Runeterra's global order and part of the industrial civilization world!"
In easy to understand terms:
You can completely regard the current Bilgewater as an overseas province under the rule of Zaun.
Since Zaun is a modern industrial country, then Porto, as its overseas province, is naturally also a part of modern industrial society.
Even though the main industry of Hong Kong is not industry but fishing, it is still a modern industrial society.
"Do you understand what I mean?" Levi asked.
"This..." Riven was slightly stunned.
Levi's words made her feel a little bit like she was suffering from Noxian PTSD: "Mr. Li, Mr. Levi, are you saying... in the future, we want Ionia to become a part of Zaun? This..."
Why does this sound similar to what Noxus wants to do?
"No." Levi said: "What we are pursuing is not to make Ionia a part of Zaun, but to make Ionia a member country with equal status with Zaun and join the future God-chosen Janna Alliance."
As he spoke, he explained in detail to Riven and the others the plan he had been brewing for the "Alliance of the Chosen Janna". (See the previous conversation with Swain for details)
“Ionia will be a member state with a certain degree of autonomy in the future, but its economy will be highly integrated with the entire alliance.”
“So, for ease of understanding:”
"You can also regard the worldwide Janna Lord Alliance as a country;"
"Consider Ionia as a province of this vast country."
Ionia cannot be highly industrialized and can only rely on agriculture.
But within a huge modern industrial country, it is normal to have an agricultural province that is dominated by the primary industry, isn't it?
Therefore, Levi positioned Ionia as the future "world's granary".
After all, due to objective limitations, it is impossible to develop too much industry here.
Apart from being the world's granary, Ionia can have no other role.
"This..." Riven still felt something was wrong.
Because in the industrial age, it is not necessarily a good thing for a place to have the title of "granary".
"If Ionia still relies on agriculture in the future, then the people here..." Riven couldn't help but ask Levi: "They will be very poor in the future, right?"
Riven’s reading of books these days was not in vain.
She was acutely aware of the scissors gap.
The added value of agricultural products is naturally lower than that of industrial products. Therefore, when industrial and agricultural products are exchanged, the price of industrial products is naturally higher than that of agricultural products.
In order to feed the massive population in the secondary and tertiary industries who have been separated from the land, a large modern industrial country will never want the prices of agricultural products to rise too high.
This results in farming not making money and farmers’ working hours being worthless.
Li Wei gave an example in his previous article:
A Noxian farmer would have to work non-stop for 10 years to earn the same as a Hextech radio that a Zaun worker would spend 100 hours making.
And this story is the best .
So it is foreseeable that if Ionia is allowed to become the world's granary in the future and the free market is allowed to function without interference, it will probably not take decades...
Ionia will become the poorest and most backward place in the world. (Except for places with worse natural conditions such as Freljord)
The Ionians will also become "stinky farmers" in the eyes of residents of other member states.
They will certainly live much better than before the Leader came, but is that enough?
"Of course not!" Levi said seriously.
"Although objective conditions limit us from making Ionia rich quickly through high industrialization, this does not mean that we must keep it poor and backward forever."
The free market cannot solve the problem of poverty caused by farming.
Then let the visible hand take care of it.
There is a lot to say about this aspect:
For example, limited green industrialization is possible in Ionia:
Leaders can use administrative means to relocate high-value-added, low-pollution high-tech industries such as Hex Industries to Ionia to make up for Ionia's economic shortcomings as the world's granary.
For example, tourism and service industries can be developed according to local conditions.
As a newborn land soaked in magic, Ionia has a profound and unique history and culture, and a gorgeous and beautiful natural environment, making it the best land in Rune.
Various cultural relics and natural wonders that are rarely seen in other places can be found almost everywhere here.
Isn’t this a natural tourist destination?
With convenient means of transportation such as airplanes and Hexgate, Ionia can focus on tourism and service industries in the future and achieve success in the tertiary industry.
For example:
We can also develop high-end agriculture and focus on brand cultivation here.
Agricultural products may not have technological added value, but they may have brand added value.
The melons I grow in Ionia using magic, are labeled with a brand name, and are sold at ten times the price of melons from other places. That's reasonable, isn't it?
Coffee, tea, red wine, white wine, hairy crabs... there are so many agricultural products that can be branded.
As long as the brand is established, those who sell liquor may make more money than those who work in Hextech.
Thanks to this land soaked in magic, Ionia's agricultural products are of significantly higher quality than those from other places.
Therefore, it is foreseeable that Ionia will not only be the world's granary in the future, but also the home of the world's high-end agricultural products.
"Also, we can promote the overall high-quality development of agricultural mechanization and improve agricultural production efficiency..."
"We can increase investment in agricultural research, improve the level of agricultural science and technology, produce good products with good varieties, good methods, good fields and good conditions, and promote agricultural efficiency and increase farmers' income..."
Levi proposed a series of solutions, and even young sea merchant girls like Fia nodded repeatedly.
There are so many tricks that one could make a whole episode of “How to Get Rich”.
"In short..." Finally, Levi concluded: "We can't let Ionia contribute to the world as a 'breadbasket' while always being poor for the whole world."
The leader needs to use various administrative means to help Ionia become as prosperous as possible while ensuring balance.
Education, medical care, and various infrastructure can all be supplemented through transfer payments within the alliance.
"Ionians may not be able to work in high-paying industrial jobs at their doorstep, but I guarantee that they will have first-class universities, hospitals and transportation networks at their doorstep and enjoy all the conveniences of modern society."
"This is the best option we leaders can choose under the premise that Ionia needs to maintain the balance of all things."
Levi's words were inspiring, making Riven, Fia, and the leaders all feel excited.
Especially Riven and Fia, who have been to Piltover, they are all imagining:
The Ionia of the future will be a place where beautiful modern cities like Piltover are everywhere, as well as picturesque villages and beautiful scenery. It will be a perfect symbiosis of industrial civilization and natural environment.
"So, how do we achieve it?" Levi's question brought everyone back from fantasy to reality.
Don't forget that today's Ionia is still a long way from modern industrial civilization.
Green industry, ecological agriculture, and sustainable development are all subsequent decorations of the "house" of Ionia.
but……
"The foundation of this house is rotten and outdated." Li Wei smiled and said, "Before we renovate the house, we have to renovate it from the ground up."
Since the way to change Ionia is modernization, what is the prefix task to achieve modernization?
The first step is to seize power. This is a no-brainer.
What about the second step?
"The second step is--" Li Wei looked at everyone, his tone quietly serious: "Land reform!"
"It's time for the Ionians to become the masters of this land of Ionia."
