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Chapter 627: Increased Heavenly Tribute and Restrictions on Member Nations
Compared to the distant future, they valued the present more.
Due to the World Government's unrestrained printing of money, Beli, the recognized currency, further devalued.
Compared to thirty years ago, it has already devalued fivefold.
Many factors contributed to the chaotic situation on the Great Sea: the rise of pirates, the weakening of the World Government and the Marines, and especially the start of the Great Pirate Era.
And the devaluation of Beli was undoubtedly an important factor.
By now, the price of any Devil Fruit is worth one hundred million Beli.
This is just the base price.
How many people's wealth was unknowingly plundered and shrunk?
Not just ordinary citizens, but even world-class magnates, various Member Nations, and all Factions were affected.
It can be said that the ultimate price for the World Government to protect its own interests had to be borne by the entire Great Sea.
Including the Kronos Kingdom, which was also affected, as foreign trade also requires a large amount of Beli.
However, the impact was not significant, as the Kingdom had started countermeasures against this trend very early on, minimizing losses.
This is also the main reason Member Nations were unwilling to increase their Heavenly Tribute Share.
All of this was caused by the World Government itself.
They themselves suffered losses, so where is the logic in increasing the Heavenly Tribute?
Currency devaluation led to the Heavenly Tribute's value decreasing, and the World Government, having even less money, could only keep printing money.
This created a vicious cycle.
Therefore, in order to prevent the world from collapsing because of this and triggering a huge crisis, at the last World Conference.
Sea Calendar 1495, which was three years ago.
In order to curb this situation, which was causing further currency devaluation, and avoid being recklessly dragged down by the World Government.
At the World Conference, although the World Government's authority to mint currency was not stripped away.
However, the World Bank came directly under the supervision of the major Member Nations.
From then on, if the World Government wanted to mint currency, it had to obtain the consent of the Member Nations.
With the restrictions from the Member Nations, Beli would not further devaluation, and the World Government would be unable to alleviate its own economic stress by printing money.
That World Conference was a painful failure for the World Government, and the Member Nations' influence completely reached its peak.
And this current situation was also a strong counterattack by the World Government against the Member Nations.
For eight hundred years, the World Government, through the Heavenly Tribute, had been suppressing the development of the Member Nations while maintaining its own development.
Kingdoms that could afford the Heavenly Tribute and didn't face too much stress from it were actually not many.
Most Member Nations, wanting to obtain enough Heavenly Tribute, would mostly find ways to transfer the stress onto ordinary citizens, squeezing them as much as possible.
Most Member Nations were in this situation.
Citizens who were squeezed began to resist, and those Revolutionary Factions on the Great Sea emerged in response, opposing the existence of Nobles and opposing the Heavenly Tribute and Celestial Dragons.
In this situation, Member Nations needed the World Government even more.
This situation continued for a long time, until the weakening of the World Government, which began to break down from the late Rocks Era.
The World Government's counterattack succeeded.
The total amount of Heavenly Tribute was raised in one fell swoop to ten billion Beli.
If viewed from the perspective of Beli's devaluation, the total value of the Heavenly Tribute compared to decades ago actually hasn't changed.
But it was enough to satisfy the World Government.
The devaluation of Beli and the suppression by Member Nations caused the value of the Heavenly Tribute received by the World Government each year to shrink.
Overall, it was in decline.
Especially the number of Member Nations was severely reduced during the Rocks Era.
Coupled with the chaos on the Great Sea, there were more places requiring money; each great battle was a gold devourer.
Many years ago, there were even two incidents where the Heavenly Tribute was stolen.
In order to obtain more Heavenly Tribute.
With the total amount of Heavenly Tribute unchanged, the World Government even planned to have some kingdoms with adjacent territories, and unable to pay the Heavenly Tribute, jointly submit the Heavenly Tribute.
If one kingdom couldn't do it, then two kingdoms, or even three or four kingdoms.
Kingdoms that met this condition and fully submitted the Heavenly Tribute would become World Government Affiliated Nations under the name of a United Kingdom, receiving the protection of the World Government and the Marines, and several kingdoms could jointly send one representative to attend the World Conference.
This was just a concept of the World Government and had not yet been specifically implemented.
This method would definitely allow them to obtain more Heavenly Tribute, and they planned to push this proposal after the war ended.
The current World Government does not have the ability to protect so many kingdoms.
The Marines needed even more time for restoration to conduct a World Military Draft after the war, rapidly expanding their overall military strength to deal with the swelling number of pirates.
During the Legendary Pirate Era, the World Government and the Marines had thought this way, but due to military budget restrictions, coupled with one war after another, the World Military Draft Plan failed.
World Military Draft requires sufficient financial strength to support it.
Without sufficient military budget, the so-called World Military Draft is nothing but a farce.
Although it is not yet time for the World Conference, various kingdoms have already sent representatives to Mary Geoise.
Amidst the intense discussions between World Government Officials and Member Nation representatives.
Although the Member Nations met the World Government's demand to increase the Heavenly Tribute, it was not unconditional.
Currently, the number of World Government Affiliated Nations is only one hundred and ten.
Since the end of the Rocks Era until the start of the Great Pirate Era, during these thirteen years, some Member Nations withdrew from the ranks of Member Nations due to being unable to submit the Heavenly Tribute.
Some even directly declared their demise.
During the Byrnndi Pirates' half a year of rampant activity in the West Blue, several Member Nations suffered severe losses.
The Member Nations can increase the Heavenly Tribute Share.
And the time for transporting the Heavenly Tribute was moved up to March of Sea Calendar 1499, which is a little over four months away.
However, thirty percent of the Heavenly Tribute, which is thirty-three million Beli, must be used for Marine military funds.
The Member Nations are clear that the most important factor in protecting their interests is still the Marines.
Therefore, the Marines must be restored and strengthened; only then can they maintain order in the various Sea Areas, protect the Trade Routes, and protect the Member Nations from pirate infringement.
(end of chapter)
Compared to the distant future, they valued the present more.
Due to the World Government's unrestrained printing of money, Beli, the recognized currency, further devalued.
Compared to thirty years ago, it has already devalued fivefold.
Many factors contributed to the chaotic situation on the Great Sea: the rise of pirates, the weakening of the World Government and the Marines, and especially the start of the Great Pirate Era.
And the devaluation of Beli was undoubtedly an important factor.
By now, the price of any Devil Fruit is worth one hundred million Beli.
This is just the base price.
How many people's wealth was unknowingly plundered and shrunk?
Not just ordinary citizens, but even world-class magnates, various Member Nations, and all Factions were affected.
It can be said that the ultimate price for the World Government to protect its own interests had to be borne by the entire Great Sea.
Including the Kronos Kingdom, which was also affected, as foreign trade also requires a large amount of Beli.
However, the impact was not significant, as the Kingdom had started countermeasures against this trend very early on, minimizing losses.
This is also the main reason Member Nations were unwilling to increase their Heavenly Tribute Share.
All of this was caused by the World Government itself.
They themselves suffered losses, so where is the logic in increasing the Heavenly Tribute?
Currency devaluation led to the Heavenly Tribute's value decreasing, and the World Government, having even less money, could only keep printing money.
This created a vicious cycle.
Therefore, in order to prevent the world from collapsing because of this and triggering a huge crisis, at the last World Conference.
Sea Calendar 1495, which was three years ago.
In order to curb this situation, which was causing further currency devaluation, and avoid being recklessly dragged down by the World Government.
At the World Conference, although the World Government's authority to mint currency was not stripped away.
However, the World Bank came directly under the supervision of the major Member Nations.
From then on, if the World Government wanted to mint currency, it had to obtain the consent of the Member Nations.
With the restrictions from the Member Nations, Beli would not further devaluation, and the World Government would be unable to alleviate its own economic stress by printing money.
That World Conference was a painful failure for the World Government, and the Member Nations' influence completely reached its peak.
And this current situation was also a strong counterattack by the World Government against the Member Nations.
For eight hundred years, the World Government, through the Heavenly Tribute, had been suppressing the development of the Member Nations while maintaining its own development.
Kingdoms that could afford the Heavenly Tribute and didn't face too much stress from it were actually not many.
Most Member Nations, wanting to obtain enough Heavenly Tribute, would mostly find ways to transfer the stress onto ordinary citizens, squeezing them as much as possible.
Most Member Nations were in this situation.
Citizens who were squeezed began to resist, and those Revolutionary Factions on the Great Sea emerged in response, opposing the existence of Nobles and opposing the Heavenly Tribute and Celestial Dragons.
In this situation, Member Nations needed the World Government even more.
This situation continued for a long time, until the weakening of the World Government, which began to break down from the late Rocks Era.
The World Government's counterattack succeeded.
The total amount of Heavenly Tribute was raised in one fell swoop to ten billion Beli.
If viewed from the perspective of Beli's devaluation, the total value of the Heavenly Tribute compared to decades ago actually hasn't changed.
But it was enough to satisfy the World Government.
The devaluation of Beli and the suppression by Member Nations caused the value of the Heavenly Tribute received by the World Government each year to shrink.
Overall, it was in decline.
Especially the number of Member Nations was severely reduced during the Rocks Era.
Coupled with the chaos on the Great Sea, there were more places requiring money; each great battle was a gold devourer.
Many years ago, there were even two incidents where the Heavenly Tribute was stolen.
In order to obtain more Heavenly Tribute.
With the total amount of Heavenly Tribute unchanged, the World Government even planned to have some kingdoms with adjacent territories, and unable to pay the Heavenly Tribute, jointly submit the Heavenly Tribute.
If one kingdom couldn't do it, then two kingdoms, or even three or four kingdoms.
Kingdoms that met this condition and fully submitted the Heavenly Tribute would become World Government Affiliated Nations under the name of a United Kingdom, receiving the protection of the World Government and the Marines, and several kingdoms could jointly send one representative to attend the World Conference.
This was just a concept of the World Government and had not yet been specifically implemented.
This method would definitely allow them to obtain more Heavenly Tribute, and they planned to push this proposal after the war ended.
The current World Government does not have the ability to protect so many kingdoms.
The Marines needed even more time for restoration to conduct a World Military Draft after the war, rapidly expanding their overall military strength to deal with the swelling number of pirates.
During the Legendary Pirate Era, the World Government and the Marines had thought this way, but due to military budget restrictions, coupled with one war after another, the World Military Draft Plan failed.
World Military Draft requires sufficient financial strength to support it.
Without sufficient military budget, the so-called World Military Draft is nothing but a farce.
Although it is not yet time for the World Conference, various kingdoms have already sent representatives to Mary Geoise.
Amidst the intense discussions between World Government Officials and Member Nation representatives.
Although the Member Nations met the World Government's demand to increase the Heavenly Tribute, it was not unconditional.
Currently, the number of World Government Affiliated Nations is only one hundred and ten.
Since the end of the Rocks Era until the start of the Great Pirate Era, during these thirteen years, some Member Nations withdrew from the ranks of Member Nations due to being unable to submit the Heavenly Tribute.
Some even directly declared their demise.
During the Byrnndi Pirates' half a year of rampant activity in the West Blue, several Member Nations suffered severe losses.
The Member Nations can increase the Heavenly Tribute Share.
And the time for transporting the Heavenly Tribute was moved up to March of Sea Calendar 1499, which is a little over four months away.
However, thirty percent of the Heavenly Tribute, which is thirty-three million Beli, must be used for Marine military funds.
The Member Nations are clear that the most important factor in protecting their interests is still the Marines.
Therefore, the Marines must be restored and strengthened; only then can they maintain order in the various Sea Areas, protect the Trade Routes, and protect the Member Nations from pirate infringement.
(end of chapter)
