Book One:
The Organisation
A fairy tale
Under the auspices of a fairy tale, The Organisation is an eye-popping, no-holds-barred account of the alarming power of money and greed.
Steven Jacklin, Novelist and Playwright
The Author
After taking a Honours degree in physics in the 1960s from the University of Hull, followed by a Masters degree in laser physics from the University of Essex, I spent my working life teaching physics and mathematics in colleges of further education. I am now retired, and have been for over a decade.
Why did I write a fairy tale? There are very many reasons and recounting them would fill the pages of another book. If sufficient interest is shown I’ll have a go at writing it, but here I’ll simply mention one or two things that readily come to mind. People can be denied employment, or even imprisoned, for expressing opinions considered by some to be objectionable, yet few people seem to be concerned. This is not a characteristic of the England I learned about, and became contented with, during the 1950s. Perhaps I didn’t always listen to my teachers as carefully as I should have, but I do remember them saying on many occasions that free-speech, the right to express opinions others might disagree with, was one of the features that made England an upright and righteous country; one we could all be proud of.
My country has changed. Free speech no longer seems important. Surveillance cameras in towns and cities watch public places continuously, yet they seem to do little good; people are still increasingly fearful of violent crime. Huge databases collect vast quantities of personal information, yet people are largely unaware of the extent to which their private lives are observed and recorded. Many other parts of the world have changed in similar ways. When I ask myself why such changes have occurred I feel uneasy.
For very many years I have found that questions often occur to me as I listen to radio or television news, or watch documentaries or dramas. To me they seem obvious things to ask, yet the broadcasters never seem to examine them. I’ll give a few very recent examples. Today, Friday, June 21st 2019, it was reported that US President Donald Trump had decided against planned military strikes against Iran. Trump’s decision alone arouses queries, but the questions I have in mind occurred to me a few days earlier. The first arose when television images showed a boat alongside a ship in the Gulf of Oman. American authorities insisted that the boat was an Iranian naval vessel and the people aboard were removing limpet mines from the side of the ship, placed about one to two metres above the ship’s waterline. President Trump insisted that it proved that Iran had carried out earlier attacks against commercial ships. I couldn’t help asking, what sort of saboteurs attach limpet mines above a ship’s waterline?
One day before the aborted military strike against Iran, the US announced that one of its unmanned surveillance drones flying over international waters in the Strait of Hormuz had been shot down by an Iranian surface-to-air missile. The Iranian government said the plane had been flying in Iranian airspace. I couldn’t help asking, why would the Americans be flying one of their spy planes innocently over international waters?
Many other unanswered questions arise from the current episode of the Iranian/US disagreements, but I’ll not go into them. I simply wanted to give a few examples of questionable aspects of news events that are never examined by the popular media.
I’ve acquired a very pessimistic view of the world’s affairs after many decades of wondering why mainstream news pundits don’t ask, and answer, obvious questions about many of the events they report. It’s not something that largely occupied my thoughts, but on cold, wet afternoons, when there was little else to attract my attention, tapping away at my keyboard writing a story about a make-believe world was comforting. It took me out of the real world for a while, but not completely.
There was a time not so long ago when it was my custom to visit pubs and clubs and chat with fellow drinkers. Often the conversation would be about the government’s, and the opposition’s, economic policies. A couple of characters, no doubt wanting to appear knowledgeable, were always keen to give their opinions. I could usually see that they were simply stating ideas recently gained from popular tabloid newspapers. Occasionally, when it was clear that questioning their views would be ineffective, I would ask them to tell me where money came from. They were never able to give sensible answers. Memories of such conversations were usually somewhere at the back of my mind as I wrote my fairy tale.
Trevor Croft
June 2019
What sort of saboteurs attach limpet mines above a ship’s waterline?
The Story
In response to increasing crime three friends start a gold storage business. Their enterprise is transformed into a very profitable bank when they find they can create paper money, and issue loans, without the need to back all their banknotes with gold. In order to curtail price increases caused by the extra money they encourage workshop owners to borrow and expand their businesses. Their plan curbs inflation, makes them very rich and transforms their country, Areho, into a flourishing kingdom.
When an astute aristocrat uncovers the secret behind their venture, but sees that his own prosperity depends on their continued success, he joins them in an attempt to find out if it is known by others. The investigation reveals entrepreneurs with anxieties about the nation’s new-found prosperity. They are invited to a meeting to discuss their concerns. An association dedicated to protecting business interests is formed. To help obscure it from the public the association is not given a name, although to members of its innermost circles it is known as The Organisation.
Several centuries pass. The Organisation’s strengths grow and in-house marriages transforms it into network of powerful families. The story follows their unseen influence on domestic and foreign affairs in their quest for greater wealth, power, privilege and control. Members fulfil their goal by secretly infiltrating all centers of power and influence, including the monarchy and the news media.
When explorers discover a far-away country they see an opportunity for expansion. But the people of Yevad are unwilling to trade. Moreover, they have dangerous beliefs and customs which must not be allowed to spread to Areho. The only possible solution is war. Political obstacles are overcome and the war proceeds as intended, but astute members of The Organisation’s inner circle realize that the economic system they have created and nurtured has a requirement of its own. It is an issue they cannot ignore.
The Illustrations
The book contains 109 illustrations. They are intended to add an amusing and descriptive side to the story. The artist, Brian, has intentionally been influenced by the characteristic cartoon-like drawings often found in traditional fairy tales. They can be seen by clicking on the drawing below.
Arcue Cathedral, overlooking the market place.
Arcue Cathedral, overlooking the market place.
Frank was watching people busily buying and selling goods in the market place
Traders were robbed, and their donkey frightened away, after a day at the market
They looked around the dungeon, knocking cobwebs away and trying to avoid standing in the worst of the grunge scattered about the floor
Down in the strong room, Frank liked to handle all the glistening gold coins
Eric and Harry often sat leisurely chatting as the headquarters of their business empire quietly hummed below
Don’t bother with all that bowing stuff, take a seat and tell me how you’ve been
King Walter liked the idea of smartly dressed soldiers marching up and down outside his palace
Eric’s sudden movement awakened Nancy
Albert was in the business of making wheels
Even after a few trials, it took Albert more than a week to make one spoked wheel
After becoming familiar with their respective tasks and working together, Albert’s staff was able to produce nine or ten wheels a day
Albert dreamed of making luxurious carriages with elegant spoked wheels, and of them being pulled by teams of thoroughbred horses transporting finely dressed people to important places
In front of the King and Harry was a painting of a striking woman still blessed with the beauty of her younger years
When it was finished, the King proudly inspected the new harbour
Harry and Emma’s wedding
James became the Duke of Arvin
Baron Ranty had ideas of a water-powered saw-mill
William was feeling very uneasy in the restaurant
Harry and Emma’s purpose-built country mansion was situated beside a wide lake
William told the other bankers about his meeting with Baron Ranty
Eric went out and about visiting popular taverns
Ranty’s castle
Before cheques were introduced, some customers withdrew large amounts in cash
Using cheques made large transactions easy
Grand balls were held occasionally
No one suspected that the country’s upbeat disposition was being clandestinely orchestrated by a highly-secretive Special Intellectual Group
New university departments and scholarly foundations were established by means of seemingly benevolent donations
The Organisation was able to inconspicuously guide and ease the passage of carefully selected intellectuals to positions of power and influence
Miles and miles of canals had been constructed in Areho soon after its development of large scale industries
Countries tried to increase their stocks of gold by way of foreign trade
Areho’s ability to organize its armed forces, and produce powerful weapons abundantly, far outstripped any of its neighbours
Huge factories employing hundreds of people appeared
Work in factories was usually hard and unpleasant
Work was usually tedious and repetitive, and workers rarely found any interest in the stuff they helped to produce
Companies owned by members of The Organisation, as recommended to each king, were awarded building contracts
Insurance schemes were not always reliable
Members of The Organisation were aware of the economic difficulties
Sailors told about faraway lands where many interesting things were bought and sold
To Jeremy, people seemed to have all they needed. He did not understand why growth was essential
People in an imaginary land were quite happy exchanging their goods for other things. They did not need money.
The Spud Bank promised to exchange its money notes for bags of potatoes, on demand, at any time during working hours
Despite the economic situation, members of The Organisation were still able to enjoy themselves
Jeremy and James watched the trade ships sail away
Excitement and anticipation surged throughout the land when it was reported that sails had been observed on the horizon
The captain of the lead ship was greeted by the king’s Minister of Economic Affairs
The people of the distant lands had all the things they needed
Sitting in groups, members of the Organisation’s secretive elite group continued expressing their displeasure at the contents of Semsit’s report
The visitors could see there was a wide variety of goods for sale in the distant land’s markets
Under the guise of buyers, three of the Organisation’s most able men volunteered to sail with the ships
The people of the distant lands lived peaceful lives and seemed to have little experience of violence
Young people enjoyed working for the services committee
There was a big national celebration with lots of singing and dancing each time a new ‘president’ was selected
Some workers occasionally tried to persuade their fellow workers to campaign for fairer wages but there were ways of averting their efforts
Some factories had to close because there was insufficient demand for the goods they produced
The King told everyone he didn’t want war
Without any mention of war, the King’s refusal to back the army was reported in newspapers
The economic crisis soon became a barely remembered issue of the past
Businesses were being offered for sale and once again the economic system was running into difficulties
Unemployed people became very unhappy
Ruined hopes, dreams and ambitions drove normally quiet people onto the streets to protest
Business owners wanting to sell had to lower their prices
The King was furious when he knew the generals no longer supported him
Abdication was the only way the King could survive the unfolding events with dignity
The new King’s right to the throne was celebrated by his supporters
As Election Day approached, interest in democracy gained momentum
Telslow Hall
With democracy, desperate people were more inclined to begging than to protesting
Unemployed people looking for work were more likely to find abuse
Unemployed people were encouraged to start their own small businesses
Areho’s Central Bank, the only one in fairy-tale world, was soon up and running
Members tried to be inconspicuous as they travelled to the meeting, but they didn’t want to be late
The visitors were able to learn that the display teams were only part of a sizable army
The Yevadian Embassy
Privatisation money was allocated to the manufacture of guns and ammunition
Privatisation money was allocated to building new warships
Privatisation money was allocated to increasing the size of the army
Army practice intensified
Large amounts of food were needed for the enlarged army
Excited by the prospect of imminent war, generals were keen to discuss their ideas of strategy and tactics
It was reported that the old King, Thomas IV, had been assassinated
Schemowt Hall
The plan was to offer a generous selection of gifts to the bandits
Ships were to be filled to capacity with arms and ammunition, including new field guns
The plan was to provide the bandits with all the arms and support they’d need
Guns were to be fired from a ship to reveal their power and accuracy, and to show the bandits what could be used against them if they became hostile
People were to be told that a ship had returned with news of serious civil warfare occurring in Yevad
The bandits were to be shown how to operate the field guns
It was expected there would be opposition to intervention in a foreign civil war
James Schemowt took the opportunity to be with his son, Jeremy, and answer his many questions
Jeremy expected Yevad would be in ruins after the war
It was expected that people would make donations to help the distressed people of Yevad
Continental Union Headquarters
Special Forces will ensure that useful economic facilities are not unduly harmed
The Esehems will be instructed to destroy all gathering places where Yevadian customs and values are promoted and cherished
Jeremy and James preferred to sit and talk in an isolated wing of the mansion where they knew they would not be disturbed
Harold told his audience he had one or two things to say
Trial steam engines were able to demonstrate the possibility of long convoys of heavily laden wagons being pulled large distances on steel rails
It was thought that when wireless equipment had been fully developed it would be possible to transmit messages over very large distances
If it becomes possible for messages to be broadcast far and wide, to be heard by any receptive listeners with inexpensive receivers, claims of government dishonesty will become very difficult to curb
Fighting started in Yevad when four Yevadian soldiers were ambushed and killed by a squad of Esehem fighters hiding in thick undergrowth
Using the new field guns, the Esehem rebels attacked Yevadian border fortifications
Unseen by onlookers, troops started to go aboard awaiting ships
Thick black smoke could be seen issuing from the Cathedral’s towers
Two men dressed in garments characteristic of the Esehems were found running away from the burning Cathedral
People were outraged, they cried out for war
Suddenly a huge explosion, far more powerful than the earlier detonations, occurred from deep inside the building
‘Why did the Cathedral blow-up?’ the boy asked. ‘Why didn’t it just burn out?’
In Yevad, as planned, Esehem leaders were instructed to withdraw their fighters and return to the wild regions.
The Readers
The Organisation is a fantasy set in a make-believe world of wooden sailing ships, horse-drawn carriages and soldiers in red tunics and tall hats. Although it is a fairy tale it contains no magic or talking animals and is not meant for young children. It is intended for grown-ups with a liking for allegory and satire, particularly ones with inquiring interests in a wide range of contentious issues including geopolitics, money, conspiracies, banking, austerity, fake news, corruption, inequality, secret societies, propaganda, ufos and aliens. It probably will not answer all their questions, but it might offer new ways of looking at some of them.
Comments
Here are some of the comments people made about ‘The Organisation: a fairy
tale’
“Very glad that I came across this book. Very well crafted by a knowledgeable
author who turns conspiracy theories on their head. There is also a good bit of
wry humour in places, and I was laughing out loud when The Organisation
decides that the ruling elite should be made up of arts graduates who regard it as
a badge of honour that they have little understanding of maths and science, and
instead drop quotations in ancient languages into their conversation: how
absurd!”
– Amazon Customer
“Very clever and well worth reading. Should be required reading for every 14 to 16 year old. And any adult who wishes to educate themselves about how the world really works.”
– Amazon Customer
“Very clever fairy tale. I came across this book by accident and I am so glad I did…”
– Amazon Customer
“Excellent book, great story, can’t recommend it enough.”
– Pamela Nicholls: Amazon Customer
“Trevor Croft’s book “The Organisation” is a MUST-READ for anyone wanting
to know how our current banking system started and continues to operate.
Written in the form of a fairy tale it brings to light to the average laymen how
the SYSTEM is rigged and we are duped in thinking otherwise. You can’t UNKNOW
this once read! 5 STAR RECOMMENDATION.”
– Jan Jacklin (Canada)
“I really enjoyed The Organisation. It is described as a fairy tale but it is a
carefully disguised story about governments, political systems and the origins of
the banking industry. Many readers will be able to relate to this story. I am
already looking forward to the sequel.”
– Deborah Kamber (England)
“Trevor Croft’s book, The Organization, couched in terms of a fairy tale, is a
unique perspective that describes the development of a commodity-money
centred economy into the sophisticated financial system we would recognize
today. Thus the tale traces the development of banking systems, the novelty of
paper money, money creation where every bank loan creates debt, and the
underlying principles of fractional reserves.
“The book, in a novel and easily digestible style, will appeal to any reader with a
passing interest in (and healthy scepticism of) the powerful forces that shape
and govern financial systems and how they inevitably impact upon the nature
and organization of modern political systems.”
– Ian Richardson (England)
“Trevor Croft’s The Organisation is an eye-popping, no-holds-barred account of
how the monetary system was created, the elaborate means used to maintain it
and the secrets necessary to protect it.
“Under the auspices of a fairy tale and complemented by splendid illustrations,
The Organisation stamps its mark of originality: a stark chronology that exposes
the ruthless power of money wrought by brilliance, family and greed.”
– Steven Jacklin (Canada)
Buy ‘The Organisation’
‘The Organisation’ is available in paperback and Kindle ebook formats.