The sunset is infinitely good, just near dusk.

The empire on which the sun never sets, once ruled the world, is like a declining old man, staggering forward on crutches.

The U.S. economy soared in the '20s, and the French economy recovered quickly after the war, with the exception of Britain, which was in turmoil.

Today, economists around the world are unable to analyze and describe the British economy in the 1920s. It alternately recovers and sometimes declines, booms and wanes, and there is no pattern at all.

British economists have described the 20s as "the age of no rules".

In the years immediately following the end of World War I, the British economy recovered quickly and showed a prosperous scene. The overinflation followed by a sudden recession caused prices to skyrocket, unemployment soared, strikes erupted, and the British government had to carry out social welfare reforms.

Due to the economic downturn in the United Kingdom, the Labour Party's support rose rapidly, and it won the 1923 general election, successfully forming a government for the first time.

As unfortunate as US President Hoover, the world economic crisis erupted when the Labour Party formed a second government in 1929. The lives of the British people have deteriorated, and the support of the Labour Party has fallen sharply.

Instead of carrying out aggressive economic reforms, the Labour government responded to the severe economic crisis by cutting unemployment benefits and other benefits. This is tantamount to stabbing a hornet's nest, the people's life is already difficult, do you still want to reduce the social welfare policy, and want to force people to death?

British Prime Minister John McDonald was forced to resign and was dismissed from the Labour Party as a traitor.

Why should they be considered a Labour traitor?

Because the Labour Party represents the interests of the working class, they believe in "Fabianism", or "progressive socialism", as an offshoot of socialist thought.

As the name suggests, "progressive socialism" advocates class cooperation and social peace, and advocates the use of moderate and gradual means to carry out reforms, and the state gradually grasps and distributes public resources, and finally realizes socialism.

All kinds of social reforms in Britain after World War II were carried out under the leadership of the Labour Party, and their ultimate goal was to build a socialist country.

However, now because of Macdonald's mess, the Labour Party has split into two factions – the Independent Labour Party and the National Labour Party.

Sir Marlay, the "red aristocracy", was one of the independent Labour Party, advocating the guarantee of people's rights, advocating world peace, etc., and actively seeking cooperation with the British Communist Party, and the ideological line was sharply left.

After Zhou Hexuan was invited to England by Sir Marlay, his first stop was not to go to a university to give a lecture, but to visit Arthur Henderson, the leader of the British Independent Labour Party.

In a small house on the outskirts of London, Zhou Hexuan met the old man. His hair and beard were gray, his eyes were small, and he smiled with only a slit, but his demeanor was vigorous, and there was no sign of old age.

"Mr. Zhou, I have admired your name for a long time, and it is a great honor to be able to meet you." Arthur Henderson warmly shook hands with Zhou Hexuan.

Zhou Hexuan smiled and said, "Hello Mr. Henderson, I have been admiring Your Excellency for a long time. ”

This old man, who was also the British Foreign Minister last year, resigned directly from the government cabinet because of a falling out with Prime Minister Macdonald.

One of the reasons for Chang Kaishen's initial disarmament plan was to respond to the call for disarmament by the League of Nations. The main promoter of the international disarmament movement is Arthur Henderson, for whom he will be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize two years later.

Arthur Henderson said: "Mr. Zhou, your book "The Rise of Great Powers" is very wonderful, especially the section that discusses and predicts the world economic crisis. ”

Zhou Hexuan shrugged: "I'm sorry, it just so happens that the prediction is accurate, and now everyone has to live a hard life." ”

Arthur Henderson said with a smile: "You didn't bring about the world economic crisis, so why blame yourself?" But in the case of world peace, I heard Sir Marley say that you think that the Second World War is inevitable. ”

"Yes, it does." Zhou Hexuan said.

"I hope you don't predict it accurately." Arthur Henderson sighed. This old man was a true pacifist, who promoted international disarmament when he was British Foreign Minister, and after his resignation, he was still anti-war, and he even ran to persuade Hitler to disarm.

Persuading Hitler to disarm ......

Zhou Hexuan said: "Although I also hope for world peace, I am afraid that the pace of war is getting closer and closer. ”

"I know, so I'm very worried, that too many people died in the last war." Arthur Henderson felt helpless, although he was naïve and hoped to achieve peace through international disarmament, but he was by no means a big fool, after all, he had served as the British Secretary of State for Education, Comptroller and Foreign Secretary.

It was precisely because he was in charge of the Foreign Office that Arthur Henderson came out and called for global disarmament when he saw the clouds of war in Europe and the Far East.

Zhou Hexuan took the initiative to invite: "As an ordinary Chinese citizen, I invite Mr. Henderson to go to the Far East, to China and Japan to see on the spot. Japan has become completely militarized, they are instigating a war in Asia, and this behavior must be stopped! ”

Arthur Henderson thought for a moment and said, "I'll go to the Far East, and I hope there will be no more wars in Asia." ”

"I'm very grateful for that." Zhou Hexuan smiled.

Although Arthur Henderson has resigned, the status of the former British Secretary of State for Education, Comptroller and Foreign Secretary is still very important in the Asian region. He went to Asia to shout a few words, which could make Japan's diplomatic environment more difficult, and at the same time boost the anti-Japanese morale of the Chinese.

That's all Zhou Hexuan can do: to go to Europe and jump up and down, while actively calling for peace, and at the same time winning international sympathy.

This kind of thing seems to be a useless exercise, but it can lay a good foundation for international public opinion. Anyway, if the relationship is done well, the alliance between China and Britain and the United States will be smoother in the future, and even more international support can be obtained through personal relations.

Chinese diplomats such as Gu Weijun and Yan Huiqing were also doing this kind of thing in Geneva at this time, but their friends were with the governments of other countries. Zhou Hexuan, on the other hand, took the civil line, befriending the British Labour Party, which had just lost its status as the ruling party, and befriending great writers and thinkers in Europe and the United States.

Zhou Hexuan also talked in detail about the international anti-war alliance, and Arthur Henderson expressed strong support, saying: "I will help you promote it within the British Labour Party and give you some financial support." ”

"Thank you so much!" Zhou Hexuan said happily.

The two spent an afternoon chatting, from anti-war topics to socialism and how to deal with the world economic crisis. In the end, Arthur Henderson personally sent Zhou Hexuan out of the house and said that he would consider visiting China in July or August.

The next morning, Zhou Hexuan officially went to the University of London to give an academic speech.