1836: I Became a Literary Giant in Great Britain

"Real science?"

Michael chewed on the word, his face gradually showing excitement instead of anxiety.

He looked at Michel, this young man who always managed to find a way out.

"That's right. Professor Campbell accused me of inciting emotions, so I'll respond with the most irrefutable evidence."

Michelle smiled and continued.

"No investigation, no right to speak."

"No investigation, no right to speak," Michael thought, savoring Michelle's words.

That was brilliant! It was like a sudden enlightenment, instantly opening up his mind.

On second thought, Michael was in a bit of a dilemma again.

"But...where are we going to find the data?"

"Aren't these things mostly controlled by the government and university scholars?"

"They have their methods, and we have ours."

Michelle walked to the window and looked at the gray London sky.

"Professor Campbell sits in his warm study, surrounded only by reports and documents. We may lack the data, but we can ask those who create wealth yet possess nothing—that's the real data!"

Michael instantly understood Michelle's thoughts, and he was immediately jolted.

He was a newspaper editor; he knew what made a good news story. But Michelle's ideas went beyond the realm of journalism.

This is not a eloquent rebuttal, but a social survey worthy of being recorded in history!

If this report can actually be produced, and presented to all of London with cold, irrefutable data...

That will not be a bomb, but a devastating earthquake!

Professor Campbell's empty accusations will appear so pale and ridiculous in the face of this report!

"I need your help, Michael."

Michelle looked at Michael with sincere eyes.

"I need all the people at the London Express who can help me gather information. Average working hours, minimum wage, bread prices, rent... I need to collect these most authentic details."

"No problem!" Michael's face lit up with a newfound radiance, all traces of his previous dejection gone.

"You can use any of the newspaper's staff you like! I'll lead the team myself!"

"Then, it's a pleasure to cooperate!"

Their hands clasped together tightly once more.

A war without gunfire has begun.

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

For the next two days, the entire London media landscape was engulfed in a bizarre frenzy.

Led by Professor Campbell's scathing article, almost all mainstream newspapers joined the siege against the London Express and Michel.

"A clown trying to attract attention is attempting to shake the foundations of economics." — Chronicle Morning Post

"We must be wary of these voices from the gutter, which erode the very foundations of our society." — The Times

A deluge of insults and attacks swept in.

The name Michelle, once a highly sought-after up-and-coming writer, instantly transformed into that of an ignorant clown.

However, the London Express, which was at the center of the storm, and Michel himself surprisingly chose to remain silent.

They did not publish any rebuttal articles, nor did they make any response.

The newspaper continued to be published as usual, but the front page was replaced with some trivial social news.

This silence, in the eyes of outsiders, is undoubtedly a form of admitting defeat.

"I knew it! That guy named Michel was just bluffing!"

"His sentimental writings are utterly inadequate in the face of a true scholar like Professor Campbell!"

"The London Express has really messed up this time; they will soon pay the price for their arrogance."

Public opinion has completely turned in favor of Professor Campbell.

He has become a hero who defends social order and scientific truth.

Countless letters of support poured in from all over the world, and for a time he was incredibly popular.

Professor Campbell himself was extremely pleased with himself.

In his Cambridge classes, he repeatedly used Michel's articles as negative examples, criticizing them mercilessly.

"Students, you must remember that economics is a rigorous science, not sentimental literature."

Standing on the podium, he said with great enthusiasm, "Never be blinded by cheap tears; believe in the power of data and logic."

He felt that the young man named Michelle had been completely defeated by him.

The debate ended in his complete victory.

He's won so much he's completely obsessed!

May the British Empire remain great!

.......

In Dr. Thomas's study in London's West End.

The atmosphere was somewhat somber.

The doctor threw the newspapers he was holding onto the table and let out a disappointed sigh.

The newspapers were full of criticism of Michel, but the counterattack he was looking forward to never came.

Was that young man really afraid?

He recalled Michel's article "Some Objections to the Principle of Population," which had given him a tremendous intellectual shock and made him begin to reflect on the "truths" he had once firmly believed in.

He even once thought that this young man might actually bring about some change.

But now it seems that he was ultimately just a writer.

He was adept at identifying problems and could touch people's hearts with his words, but he still backed down in the face of real authority and power.

Dr. Thomas shook his head, his initial wavering resolve seemingly returning.

Perhaps Professor Campbell is right.

Society has its own rules of operation, and personal sympathy is ultimately fragile and impractical in the face of harsh reality.

He picked up a medical book again, trying to put those troubling thoughts behind him.

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

Just when all of London thought the turmoil had subsided.

On the morning of the third day, a new issue of the London Express quietly appeared on the streets of London.

The newsboy's cries shattered the pre-dawn tranquility.

"Breaking News! Breaking News! Michelle Obama responds to Professor Campbell with a lengthy article!"

"Facts speak louder than words! A genuine investigation from East London!"

This new news instantly stirred up a huge wave.

Everyone was stunned.

respond?

After being besieged for two days, how dare Michelle respond?

Dr. Thomas was having breakfast when he heard the newsboy's calls outside the window, and his hand holding the knife and fork froze in mid-air.

He immediately ordered the butler, "Quickly, bring today's London Express!"

Dr. Thomas practically snatched the newspaper from the butler.

The front page of the London Express had no fancy illustrations or headlines.

All that met my eyes were dense text and rows of tables.

A Survey Report on the Living Conditions of Workers in East London – A Reply to Professor Campbell’s “Scientific Spirit”

Dr. Thomas frowned; this was the first time he had ever seen a newspaper article in this format.

But considering it was written by Michel, a young man.

He suppressed his doubts and began reading from the first word.

At the beginning of the article, Michel did not directly refute Campbell, but instead quoted the core ideas of Malthus's "An Essay on the Principle of Population".

"Population will grow exponentially, while resources for survival will only grow arithmetically."

"Dear Professor Campbell, and all gentlemen who believe in this theory, have you ever considered that the core assertion of this population theory is itself baseless conjecture?"

Dr. Thomas's heart skipped a beat.

Here comes the point!

He continued reading.

"Professor Campbell criticized me for lacking supporting data, so today I will present the data to you. Over the past few days, I visited textile factories, docks, gasworks, and other facilities in East London, surveying a total of 347 workers. Their average working hours were 14 hours per day, with some working as many as 16 hours. And their average weekly wage was only 10 shillings."

The newspaper prominently featured a detailed table that clearly listed the working hours and wages for different types of jobs.

Those numbers were so low that Dr. Thomas could hardly believe it.

He spent more than ten shillings on just one meal...

"What can ten shillings do? According to my research, a working-class family of five spends seven or eight shillings a week on basic necessities like dark bread and potatoes alone. The remaining two shillings are needed to cover rent, coal, clothing, and potential medical expenses."

"This means that if one member of the family gets sick, or if the price of bread rises even slightly, the family will immediately fall into poverty."

"At the same time, let's look at another set of data. According to last year's Parliamentary trade report, the total amount of grain imported by the British Empire through its overseas colonies increased by 20 percent compared to the previous year. Meanwhile, our domestic agriculture, thanks to improvements in agricultural technology, also saw a 15 percent increase in output. Are our resources for survival really only growing in an 'arithmetic' manner?"

The article raises a pointed question here.

"No! We have so many supplies that just last month, hundreds of tons of grain from America were rotting and moldy at the docks along the Thames. Because capitalists want to maintain high grain prices, they would rather let it rot and mold in warehouses than sell it to the hungry poor."

"Professor Campbell, when you are reading in your warm study, do you hear the cries of the dockworkers?"

"Snapped!"

Dr. Thomas's coffee cup slipped from his hand and fell to the ground, spilling coffee everywhere.

He trembled, not from anger, but from an unprecedented shock.

Michel didn't use any fancy words; he simply dissected the cold, cruel facts and presented them to everyone.

This is more powerful than any loud and desperate accusation!

Thinking about his previous suspicions about Michelle, Dr. Thomas felt a burning sensation on his cheeks, as if he had been slapped hard.

He took a deep breath, ignored the spilled coffee, and continued reading.

If the previous writing was a radical attack on Malthusian theory, then what follows is the most direct and friendly "greeting" to Professor Campbell himself!

"Professor Campbell accuses me of inciting the poor to plunder the wealth of the gentlemen and claims that relief is a sin because it breeds laziness. Well then, I would like to ask the professor a question."

"According to my investigation, Trinity College, Cambridge, where you work, received donations totaling over £50,000 from various prominent figures last year. At the same time, the college receives over £20,000 annually in government subsidies for education. All of this money ultimately goes to you and your colleagues in the form of salaries, pensions, and research grants."

"Professor, you sit in an ivory tower supported by taxpayers from all over the British Empire, earning a salary hundreds or thousands of times higher than that of ordinary workers, yet you criticize a father who works sixteen hours a day to feed his children as a 'burden on society'."

"If it's a sin for the government to use taxes to help a starving poor person, then what should we call it if we use the same taxes to support a scholar like you who doesn't produce anything but seeks justification for exploiting the poor?"

"Is your salary also a form of... a more elegant form of begging?"

"Pfft~"

Dr. Thomas couldn't help but burst out laughing.

Too bad!

This statement is absolutely malicious!

He could almost picture Professor Campbell's expression when he saw those words.

This is no longer a debate; this is using facts to slap Campbell's face in the ground and rub it back and forth!

At the end of the article, Michelle wrote these moving words.

"The root of poverty is never that the poor do not work hard enough, nor is it God's punishment, nor is it the so-called law of nature."

"Professor Campbell believes in natural selection, so please answer me: why can a child born mentally challenged in an aristocratic manor live a life of luxury and inherit a vast fortune, while a child in the slums with artistic talent, who could have become the next Turner, starves to death because he can't afford a loaf of bread?"

Is this fair?

"This precisely proves that what determines a person's fate is never some natural law, but rather the shackles imposed by humans!"

"We are breaking these shackles not to incite riots, but to set things right and to reclaim the dignity that should belong to everyone as a human being."

"Liberty, equality, fraternity—these are the foundations of our British Empire."

"That's my only objection."

When he finished reading the last word, Dr. Thomas let out a long sigh of relief.

This is brilliant! He couldn't remember the last time he'd seen such a wonderful article.

clap clap.

Dr. Thomas couldn't help but applaud the article.

Then, he leaned back in his chair and slowly closed his eyes.

The study was completely silent.

After reading Michel's article, he felt a chill run down his spine, recalling the feeling he had when he first read the works of French Enlightenment thinkers.

Like a bolt of lightning, it flashed through my mind!

Although he was just a writer, Michel's depth of thought far surpassed that of people like Campbell by a thousand times.

He was a philosopher!

He was a hero!

How can such a hero be misunderstood?

Thinking of this, Dr. Thomas immediately opened his eyes and took out a blank sheet of paper and a pen.

He wanted to write a letter and send it to The Times.

He wanted to tell everyone that the young man named Michel was not a demagogue.

He is a true warrior who dares to face reality.

He is a true patriot!

Thank you to "Getting Beaten Up for Giving a Foul Name" for the 3 monthly tickets~

Thank you to "起臊名挨毒打", "0513miku", "梨乃酱", and "美人计" for the recommendation votes~

thanks for your support.

A few days ago, something came up unexpectedly, causing the update schedule to be disrupted. But it's all sorted out now, and here's a combined 4k-word chapter. From now on, updates will be posted in the evenings.

In addition, I earnestly request everyone's continued support in reading this article. Qidian will be launching a new PK mechanism on February 8th.

The data analysis will directly affect whether there will be subsequent recommendations; if you lose the PK, you will basically be pushed into the kill line.

So, dear readers, if you find the book still enjoyable, please don't leave it unfinished. Even just turning to the last page and leaving after each update is a huge help to me!