Deep Space Wandering Fleet
Chapter 279 - Chapter 279 Chapter 279 The Soft Power of Civilization

Chapter 279: Chapter 279: The Soft Power of Civilization Chapter 279: Chapter 279: The Soft Power of Civilization The meeting had concluded, yet the crowd had not fully dispersed, with both sides reluctant to part ways. Zhang Yuan lifted his head, and through the dazzling starry sky above, he felt a very subtle emotion.

During these 44 years, what humans had acquired was not only a Universal Factory but also many other things. Especially in the process of assisting each other, all citizens of the New Human Civilization had developed a very strong sense of pride in their civilization.

This sense of pride had a tremendous impact on the contemporary population and subsequent generations, a kind of national spirit that no amount of advanced technology or powerful productivity could ever purchase!

For a civilization to rise in space, relying solely on science, population, and productivity was far from enough.

A strong spiritual core was essential for support!

The pride and sense of belonging felt today constituted such a powerful spiritual core, a confidence in the value system and social infrastructure of one’s own civilization.

To put it concretely, if citizens of the new civilization were to return to Earth and live a very wealthy, carefree upper-class life, they would still feel uncomfortable, finding this and that disagreeable and believing their civilization superior.

This was an aspect of the New Human Civilization’s soft power.

Even more, this soft power might have a profound and positive impact on the future “Wandering Project,” which could be considered a significant added value.

Zhang Yuan took the opportunity to speak privately with Ganyador, the first-generation Captain of the Gleize Civilization.

“Your Excellency Ganyador, those topics we discussed earlier were merely some technical experiences, akin to a civilization’s External power. Now, from a personal perspective, I have a few suggestions that you might like to hear.”

“Please, speak.”

The private relationship between the two was rather good. Ganyador looked up, his two dark eyes fixing their gaze on Zhang Yuan.

Zhang Yuan spoke earnestly, “Firstly, there is a tendency towards sloth among the populace of your civilization, part of which is due to habitual routines. Yet a more significant issue is the economic distribution…”

“It could be that the productivity of the Universal Factory is so high that everyone enjoys good living without much work. Unintentionally, the entire population has become lazy.”

“In your Gor City, capable and incapable people receive nearly the same treatment. The society has heavy taxation and high welfare, calling it equality for all, right?”

“Indeed, our welfare benefits are quite substantial…” Ganyador said, slightly confused.

A high-welfare society was almost the pride of Gor City and had attracted a large number of talents from other cities as well. Other cities had autocratic systems where people were divided into different social classes, where the lower class could never enjoy such high social welfare.

“Yes, that’s exactly the issue… However, the so-called high-welfare society is inevitably inapplicable on an Alien Planet. At least not at the beginning.”

Zhang Yuan shook his head: “On the spaceship, everyone eats together from a big pot due to the greater pressure of survival, and people do not complain much despite the harsh conditions.”

“But once on a planet, where the initial survival issues have been resolved, a high-welfare society cannot be maintained if the productivity isn’t high enough to meet people’s needs. There has to be a social hierarchy.”

“If those capable people receive the same resources as everyone else, it’s simply another form of injustice. If you continue with communal eating, where, then, will the motivation to work come from?”

“I would even suggest you adopt a more centralized system of governance, even a bit autocratic if necessary, because on an Alien Planet, the ability to act is even more important…”

“The development of an Alien Planet needs to be raced against time; decades pass in an instant. It’s better to enact incorrect policies than to dither and not enact any at all!”

Ganyador was momentarily stunned, this was indeed a valid point.

On Mother Star, food was almost ubiquitous, everyone’s life was secure, but on a barren Alien Planet, where could such security come from?

Without sufficient industrialization, once the equipment aged, there would be only one word left–death!

Under these new circumstances, where even survival was hard to guarantee, everyone must work even harder and unite more than ever.

They were facing tough days ahead, not the affluent times they were currently enjoying…

“Or you could also draw on our Contribution System, creating a trustworthy big data system,” Zhang Yuan suggested. “There should be quite some exchange in this area… Given the significant differences in the societal development of our two civilizations, you can’t just copy the system. However, I believe your mathematicians should be capable of taking up this task and devising a system of your own.”

Ganyador sighed, “What you said is right–a convincing economic policy and distribution system are indeed extremely important. At this rudimentary stage of civilization, the high welfare of the past can no longer be realized.”

“Only by changing the starting point can the entire civilization’s ideology truly be corrected. In fact, during the years of our interaction, our engineers have become quite diligent, amazed by the human’s hard work.”

Zhang Yuan smiled and extended his second finger, “As for the second point, you must develop your own technological tree. Having your own technology is the only true foundation in this dim starry sky!”

“Because of the Universal Factory, your civilization has found it too easy to advance technologically, leaving you with too little of your own, a shaky foundation.”

“A lot is pursued for efficiency without understanding…”

“Take a simple example, a certain part of a machine tool has a circular notch,” he explained. “Human scientists won’t stop researching why there’s a circular notch there. Is it a design error? What would happen without this notch? Could it be changed to an ellipse or a square?”

“But your scientists, after some investigation, find reverse engineering too difficult and simply copy it directly. They subconsciously believe that the technology from the Universal Factory is the ultimate and infallible.”

“Such a long-established mindset is hard to change quickly. But for a civilization, idolizing authority is certainly disadvantageous.”

Zhang Yuan left unsaid that during their extended interactions, human engineers often noted that the Glizerians’ creative abilities and learning were actually quite good.

But as soon as anything from the Universal Factory was involved, these people would become highly paranoid, behaving as though they had seen God… Yes, for them, the Ten-thousand-year Factory was God.

These were some of the biases in thinking.

Ganya Youduo sighed deeply. Honest advice often goes unheeded, and good medicine tastes bitter. If their personal relationship weren’t so strong, Zhang Yuan wouldn’t have likely brought up such matters at this critical juncture.

Intergalactic colonization required careful consideration of these issues, otherwise, the Gleize Civilization might only face extinction on another planet.

“Yes, that’s also why we’re determined to abandon the Universal Factory… The poison it has inflicted on our creative capacity is far too deep!”

“During the long six hundred years of travel, we will re-plan our development path. Hopefully… everything goes well.”

“Then, my friend, farewell, and Godspeed!”

After watching Zhang Yuan leave, the leader deeply bowed and then turned back to his own spaceship…

A true politician burns himself to light the way for others, while an ordinary politician would rather burn others to illuminate themselves. Yet, the latter are by far the majority. The future held so many difficulties that he couldn’t help feeling a bit lost…

But soon, he regained his composure. Regardless, an interstellar expedition could change a lot. The Gleize Civilization surely wouldn’t die out on an Alien Planet, he was certain of it!