I am concerned about that, as the common place for people to become literate without patrons is through the church. Which gives them an opportunity to develop back their old influence to form a party to reform the Papal States.
The only way I can see to get them to join is through introducing and making them adopt Liberation Theology.
If we are investing in it, then obviously we are employing government administrators to do it. Afterall, our relationship with the pope is stable, but not friendly. Odds are he isn't going to offer dozens of clergy men to march across italy on our say so. Looks too subservent. This is why we are investingnour extensive wealth rather than asking ordering the pope.
Hmmm... that makes sense.
I'm of two minds now.
We could start rebuilding Rome and reform it into a true capital worthy of the Roman Empire of old.
OR, we could send our navy to not just deter, but crush the Barbary States and their ability to raid in the Mediterranean Sea.
I'll probably go for just Rome, though, since we already have supremacy over our portion of the Mediterranean.
It's probably difficult to crush slavery further right now because they know to stay out of the Mediterranean and the atlantic is huge. Best to lay off and give time for word of new slave routes to spread or slavery to give out on it's own before we send the Navy hunting.
Repairing rome is a good move for now. Gives us a nice shiny city for all our Political parties to appreciate(bonus to rolls) when we meet them the following turn.
-[X]The Diplomatic Situation: You need to know how the state is viewed by the Rest of Europe. DC: 40 Reward: You see the documents. And worry about progress.
I think we know a lot about how Europe sees us already? It was defined pretty clearly by some of the last posts.
Britain loves us for dealing with piracy and modeling ourselves after there government.
Holy Rome hates us because of Gotz and because we've replaced them as the successor to Rome and acquired the Popes grudging support.
France I forget the specidics but I think they like us because there really churchy right now and we defeated the Ottomans.
Spain is pissed. They wanted italy, and I think there pro slavery still right now, and maybe a little annoyed we are staying home and raising our country to prosperity while there own boy king has ditched them for the new world.
Ottomans fear us but respect our strength.
I think Russia is indifferent? To far removed from events as it were.
Either way, I'd drop it and take simple pleasures. We don't want to overwork ourselves like Mach afterall, and it will be good to spend time with him and make sure he isn't over working himself.
Aka, the Department of Education.
Otherwise, we need those administrators to take off-time to educate, where many might not have the patience to even educate and might lash out if pressured or impatient.
Where are we spending our money for Literacy development?
If I were you, I'd also attempt to spend money towards library renovations and funding anyone willing to teach children adults the ways of literacy and mathematics.
I don't want to try and get too much done at once or the effect on each on is more limited. Literacy this year, libraries year after next, to give people time to learn more than basics and focus on politics year two.
