Chapter 4242 4244【Bet everything】
By checking the information, Xiang Nan also understood why Rose disliked Karl so much and wanted to get engaged and married to him.
It turns out that at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, with the outbreak of the second industrial revolution, wealth gradually moved closer to the emerging bourgeoisie and emerging capitalist countries.
For example, the heroine Rose's fiancé Carl Hockley's family runs a steel factory in the United States.
The traditional European aristocrats still rely on renting to make a living, and the land they rely on for survival is gradually losing value, leading to a massive loss of wealth.
In addition, inheritance taxes in Europe are also very high. For example, the inheritance tax in the UK is as high as 40%. Therefore, if you inherit a millionaire, you will have to pay 400,000 in inheritance tax alone.
However, it should be noted that inherited wealth is mostly in the form of land, real estate, etc., which may not necessarily be realized. And even if it’s worth millions, once it’s cashed out, you probably won’t be able to get half of it back.
In the movie, Rose's father has passed away. Even if he leaves a fortune, there may be nothing left after paying the inheritance tax.
Therefore, at that time, she and her mother were probably penniless except for their hereditary noble titles.
The emerging bourgeoisie, in order to enhance their status, often choose to marry into noble families. One party provided the money, the other provided the title, and they hit it off immediately.
After all, it can be seen in the movie that although the old aristocrats have no money, they still maintain a proud, alienated, and contemptuous attitude towards the emerging bourgeoisie.
For example, Rose's mother looked down upon Mrs. Margaret Brown, who made her fortune by digging for gold. She thought she was just a vulgar, vulgar, and rude nouveau riche, and she didn't even want to talk to her.
It was for this reason that Carl Hockley got married to Rose DeWitt Bookett. In this way, his family will also have noble titles and bloodlines.
The well-known British drama "Downton Abbey" is from the same era as "Titanic", and it depicts the life of the British upper class more comprehensively at that time.
The owner of the manor, Robert Crawley, married Cora, the daughter of an American steel tycoon, and used her generous dowry to support the operation of Downton Abbey.
The original property of Downton Abbey was the farmland near the manor, and they relied on renting to make a living. But despite this, tenant rent still cannot satisfy the operation of the manor.
Therefore, the eldest son-in-law Matthew Crowley discussed with Robert to build a factory and carry out reforms...
…
After making some preparations, Xiang Nan immediately clicked on the task bar and officially took over Jack Dawson's task.
A door of light appeared out of thin air, and Xiang Nan stepped into it.
“I’m Jack Dawson, born in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, USA. I’ve been traveling around the world since my parents died when I was fifteen.
I caught fish on a fishing boat in Montreal, painted people's faces on the Santa Monica Pier, worked as a bartender in a New York bar, carried luggage at a station in Paris, and set up a stall at a flea market in London...
I like this wandering life, which allows me to see different scenery and enjoy different lives every day..."
A memory flooded into Xiang Nan's mind, and then he opened his eyes.
"Hey, what are you doing? Have you thought about it? Do you want to continue?" A fierce-looking man stared at Xiang Nan in displeasure.
Xiang Nan was stunned for a moment, then woke up.
He is currently playing cards with his friend Fabrizio in the Port Bar in Southampton.
Each of them put everything on the line for this bet.
The two people opposite even pledged their tickets to the third-class cabin on the Titanic.
At that time, it was equivalent to betting on one's own future.
In the twenty years from 1891 to 1910, the real GDP per capita growth rate in the United States was as high as 40%, with an average annual growth rate of more than 2%.
In comparison, in continental Europe at the beginning of the twentieth century, economic development generally encountered stagnation. For example, in the United Kingdom, from 1891 to 1910, the per capita real GDP growth rate was only 15% in the twenty years, and the average annual growth rate was less than 0.75%.
The rapidly growing U.S. economy not only requires a large number of immigrants to work in factories, but also brings unlimited business opportunities to immigrants.
At that time, many people seized the opportunity and immigrated to the United States, receiving generous returns and realizing their dreams of getting rich.
Therefore, inspired by these successful people, more and more immigrants choose to go to the United States.
This is why the White Star Line was willing to invest heavily in building the Titanic.
…
"Of course I've thought about it, go all-in!" Xiang Nan glanced at the cards in his hand, and then pushed all the money out.
"Jack, if we lose, we will have no money." Seeing this, Fabrizio quickly reminded him.
Fabrizio is Italian. He and Jack met on the streets of London. The two of them have set up stalls, carried goods, drank wine, and smoked cigarettes together. They are good friends.
"Don't worry, when we have nothing, it means we have no constraints." Xiang Nan smiled.
"You idiot, you actually surrendered all our subpoenas." Seeing Xiang Nan's confident look, the villain opposite shouted to his partner.
"Don't worry, he can't win." His partner still said stubbornly.
"Okay, let's play the cards. Some people's lives are going to change." Xiang Nan said with a smile, "Fabrizio~"
"I have nothing." Fabrizio threw away the cards in his hand in frustration.
They play Stud. According to the rules, a straight flush is greater than four of a kind, greater than a full house, greater than a flush, greater than a straight, greater than three of a kind, greater than two pairs, greater than a pair, and greater than a miscellaneous card.
Fabrizio took a hand of miscellaneous cards and couldn't make up a single pair.
"Olav~" Xiang Nan looked at the evil man opposite.
The villain also threw away the cards in his hand with a look of helplessness, and he also got a hand of miscellaneous cards.
"Sven~" Xiang Nan looked at the villain's partner again.
The villain's partner smiled slightly and proudly spread out the cards in his hand, which turned out to be two pairs.
"Yeah!" Olaf was overjoyed when he saw it.
Fabrizio looked frustrated.
Two pairs are already big names in stud, and the probability of three, straight, flush, full house, four, and flush is really very low.
"Jack~" He looked at Xiang Nan angrily. If it weren't for him, he wouldn't have impulsively staked all his chips.
"Fabrizio, I'm sorry~" Xiang Nan shook his head at him.
"I'm sorry, I'll **** you Mad, we staked all the money and we have nothing left." Fabrizio couldn't help shouting.
When Olaf and Sven saw this, they looked gloating.
At this moment, Xiang Nan had all the cards in his hand, "I mean, you have to say goodbye to your mother, because we are going to the United States."
"The whole house is red?! Oh my god!" Fabrizio jumped up excitedly when he saw Xiang Nan's card.