1836: I Became a Literary Giant in Great Britain

"You're declaring war on the entire London economics community!"

"No." Michelle shook her head.

"I'm just raising a small objection to an unreasonable viewpoint."

"Truth becomes clearer through debate. If they believe their theories are flawless, why should they care about me?"

"A minor objection?" Michael almost jumped up, but the last sentence made him find it somewhat interesting.

"Malthus's 'Essay on the Principle of Population' is the theoretical cornerstone of the new Poor Law. To say it's wrong now is to point fingers at the bigwigs in Parliament and call them a bunch of fools who have been deceived."

"That's not necessarily true. Maybe those big shots are just pretending not to know."

Michelle just smiled and looked at the emotional Michael.

He certainly understood the significance of this article.

This is not an academic paper; it is a declaration of war.

"So, Michael, do you think there's anything wrong with the argument in this article?"

Michelle countered with a question.

Michael didn't answer, but instead looked down at the manuscript in his hand again.

"A geometric growth in population, an arithmetic growth in resources... This is completely unsupported by any data; it's pure wishful thinking..."

"The root cause of poverty is not a lack of food, but a problem with the distribution of wealth..."

"Relief doesn't make the poor lazy; it's the abjectly low wages and exorbitant prices that force them to rely on relief..."

Michael found Michelle's words to be very insightful.

He was not an economist, but a newspaper editor.

But he deals with the most authentic side of this city every day.

He had seen children who were so hungry they were skin and bones, and he had also seen workers on the docks who were so exhausted they vomited blood.

Compared to Malthus's cold theories, Michel's insightful words are closer to the reality he observed.

"The argument is fine, of course." Michael scratched his hair in frustration.

"The problem is, nobody dares to say that...it would offend too many people..."

"So, even the London Express doesn't dare?" Michelle retorted.

Michael's breathing suddenly stopped.

What made the London Express transform from a low-brow tabloid into the talk of the town in London?

Isn't it precisely because of this "daring to speak out" that it exists?

Michael instantly snapped out of his daze. His current success had made him anxious and he had lost his drive.

Send it! Of course we should send it!

As long as the article is correct.

The London Express doesn't care about insults and attacks; it only cares about generating buzz.

He could imagine the uproar this article would cause once it was published.

The newspaper was attacked, insulted, and even suppressed.

But at the same time, the sales and reputation of the London Express will surely reach an unprecedented peak!

Because the "population theory" and the "new poor law" concerned almost every social class.

The impact of this media storm is bound to be unprecedented.

It's a big gamble.

If you win the gamble, you'll gain both fame and fortune.

If you lose the bet, you can always go back to where you started.

Going all in is a form of wisdom.

Michael looked at Michelle, the young man who always brought him "surprises".

He took a deep breath and made his decision.

"Let's do it!"

He could already foresee what London would look like tomorrow.

Those gentlemen would be speechless at the breakfast table after reading this article.

Those scholars would be refuted by these arguments until they were red in the face and furious.

And for the people struggling at the bottom of society, this will be the first time they have heard someone speak out for them in such a resounding way!

"However, Michelle," Michael's expression became even more serious.

"You'd better be prepared. Starting tomorrow, you could be the most popular person in all of London, or you could be the most hated person in all of London."

Michelle smiled and stood up.

"I simply wrote down what I saw and what I believed."

He took the generous advance payment from Michael and left the bustling editorial office.

It was already dark outside, and the gas lamps were lit one by one.

Michelle straightened her clothes and walked towards Cohen Street.

A storm is coming.

-----------------

Back in the attic, the first thing he did was go to a nearby shop and buy a large loaf of bread, some salted meat, and a small bag of coal.

He lit the fireplace, which had been unused for a long time, and finally a sliver of light and warmth filled the dim room.

He sat at the rickety table, slowly enjoying what was considered a lavish dinner for the time, savoring the happiness brought by the food and warmth.

After eating and drinking to their heart's content, Michelle poured out the money she had on the table and began to carefully calculate her expenses.

The advance payment for the works “Sleepiness,” “Sorrow,” and “A Disagreement with the Principle of Population”.

After deducting daily expenses and paying rent, there were a full seventy-eight pounds left.

This is a huge sum of money.

This can greatly alleviate the pressure of family debt.

He planned to send back fifty pounds first.

After all, he occupied someone else's body, so he should bear that responsibility.

The next day, he went to a bank in London, exchanged fifty pounds for a bank draft, and sent it along with a letter to let them know he was safe to the address of his home that he remembered.

He didn't write much, only saying that his recent writing income in London was quite good, so his family no longer needed to worry about him.

As he walked out of the bank, a loud hawking call caught his attention.

"Breaking News! Breaking News! Today's front page of the London Express challenges one of the greatest principles of modern economics!"

"The Shocking Lies of 'An Essay on the Principle of Population'! Renowned author Michel reveals the truth about poverty!"

Michelle stopped in her tracks.

He saw a newsboy waving a brand-new newspaper not far away, with his name and the sensational headline printed in the most prominent position.

Countless pedestrians were attracted and stopped to make purchases.

The bomb finally detonated.

Get out of the way, it's about to explode!

-----------------

In a spacious and bright study in London's West End.

Dr. Thomas put down his coffee cup and frowned somewhat displeased.

His butler had just brought him today's London Express, and the exaggerated headline on the front page seemed absurd to him.

"A slight disagreement with the principles of population? Revealing the truth about poverty?"

Dr. Thomas gave a soft hum.

As a well-educated doctor who believed in science and reason, he had never been fond of such sensationalist newspaper articles.

He had certainly read Malthus's "An Essay on the Principle of Population" and wholeheartedly agreed with it.

In his view, the reason why the poor are poor is largely due to their own laziness, shortsightedness, and unrestrained reproduction.

Government relief will only encourage this bad habit and ultimately drag down the entire society.

The new Poor Law, though harsh, was necessary.

However, when he saw that the author's name was "Michelle," he still patiently read on.

After all, the novel written by this young man had deeply moved him.

The newspaper wasn't a good one, but Michel was a good guy.

We'll see what he says for now.

Dr. Thomas began reading the article.

"The so-called 'geometric growth of population and arithmetic growth of resources' is not supported by any statistical data and is purely wishful thinking from an academic ivory tower..."

Dr. Thomas was stunned when he saw the first paragraph.

He subconsciously recalled the contents of "An Essay on the Principle of Population" and found that this was indeed the case.

Malthus merely made this assertion, but never provided any rigorous data to prove these two growth rates.

This is more of a hypothesis than a scientific fact.

He suppressed a strange feeling in his heart and continued reading.

"The root of poverty lies not in 'not enough to go around,' but in the excessive possession of wealth by a few. According to last year's agricultural report, the British Empire produces enough food to feed its entire population..."

The article, with its clear data and rigorous logic, laid bare a stark reality before his eyes.

Hunger does not stem from the so-called "natural punishment" of overpopulation, but from the cruel social distribution.

Dr. Thomas's breathing began to quicken.

He once thought that what was said in "An Essay on the Principle of Population" was self-evident.

But now, Michelle's article has given him another perspective.

At the end of the article, Michelle wrote the following.

"...The most callous aspect of Malthus's theory lies in attributing human suffering to the laws of nature, while turning a blind eye to the evils of the enclosure system, which forced farmers to relocate and imposed meager wages. Hunger is never a punishment for the population, but rather the consequence of the seizure of wealth. Using the despair of the poor to justify so-called natural laws is nothing more than a complete betrayal of conscience."

"A betrayal of conscience..."

Dr. Thomas murmured the same words over and over, leaning back in his chair, remaining motionless for a long time.

His pride in rationality and science was now shattered.

The "truth" he believes in is nothing more than a lie used to exonerate those who have already benefited from the system.

Should a person live in accordance with their conscience?

The study was silent, with only the ticking of the grandfather clock.

-----------------

Meanwhile, the atmosphere was quite different in an office at Cambridge University.

Professor of political economy Boulder Campbell slammed the London Express on the table, his face flushed with anger.

"Nonsense! Utter rubbish!"

As a follower of both Malthus and Bentham, the master of utilitarianism, Professor Campbell regards "An Essay on the Principle of Population" as the cornerstone of social governance.

In his view, Michel's article is not only academic heresy, but also a malicious incitement to social order.

"What unfair distribution? What evil of the system? These are nothing but rhetoric inciting a mob!"

He cursed angrily.

"This guy named Michel, does he even know anything about economics? Has he received any economic education whatsoever? He's just a third-rate novelist who can write some tearjerker stories. Does he think he can overturn the theoretical system that the great Malthus built with his life's work with these inflammatory remarks?"

He picked up the newspaper, pointed to the words on it, and angrily rebuked his teaching assistant:

"Look at these words! 'The evil consequences of wealth being seized'? Is this an insinuation of revolution? He's encouraging lazy people to rob hardworking gentlemen who have become wealthy! This is a blatant provocation against the inviolable principle of private property!"

To Professor Campbell, Michel's views were dangerous and naive.

The reason why the poor are poor is that they cannot control their desires; they are excessive and need to be eliminated.

Michelle, however, portrayed them as innocent victims, shifting the blame to society and the system, which is a complete distortion of the truth!

"I cannot tolerate such ignorant and malicious voices prevailing in society!"

Professor Campbell's eyes sharpened.

A sense of mission as an academic authority and the anger of being challenged burned fiercely in his heart.

"This attention-seeking clown must be severely criticized! I want all of London to see just how utterly pathetic this so-called 'writer' is!"

He sat back down at his desk, spread out his manuscript paper, and picked up his pen.

He was going to write a counter-argument, an article that would refute the other side completely.

He wanted to make that arrogant Michelle understand that he couldn't do whatever he wanted just by stirring up emotions.

The pen tip glides across the paper, leaving behind an angry title.

"To a Sentimental Ignorant Man: On the True Roots of Poverty".

Sorry for the late update. Here's a combined chapter~

Thank you "hclv587" for the 2 monthly tickets and recommendation tickets~

Thank you "Rino-chan" for the recommendation vote.

By the way, I'd like to ask for your monthly votes~ They really help with the new book ranking~