New Shun 1730

Li Xi's words sound somewhat ironic.

The people who were so excited before that they wanted to use free trade as a new ritual and form a new world system actually didn't believe in free trade at all.

This is as ironic as a person who doesn't believe in heaven becoming the Pope, and a person who has no sense of propriety and integrity becoming a juren.

He took the story in "Zhuangzi·Tianyun".

He told a story that Lao Ma said about the 3,000 Australian immigrants who couldn't transfer the social conditions of Britain.

In the end, he "reflected" on why Dashun won the first war, why it was so difficult to win, why it took a full 30 years to prepare for such a large size and population, and why the gap was so big that it still won in such a wretched way in the end - relying on squatting and maritime harassment to drag Britain down bit by bit, but it was not won in the decisive battle of the strait at all.

Li Xi not only opened his eyes to the world.

He also really went to the Atlantic to fight.

He even personally participated in the First World War that changed the course of history.

So he was confused.

Those British laws allowed Britain to resist the blockade of several powerful countries such as China, France, Spain, Russia and Austria, and finally won by relying on the despicable tactics of Dashun.

Does it mean that Britain's comprehensive control of the economy and extreme mercantilism are the right way?

Here, Li Li did not take the words literally.

He thought that mercantilism was the so-called abstract understanding of attaching importance to industry and commerce.

Instead, he truly understood what mercantilism was, what protection policies, commercial hegemony, navigation laws, and subsidies or heavy tax policies of commodity enumeration laws were.

When it comes to the problems within the Nine Provinces, the unavoidable issue of mergers forced Li Li to ask Liu Yu.

If you say that you believe in the invisible hand.

Then, land mergers, usury, and money running to farmland and pawnshops, are these considered invisible hands?

Is it considered a manifestation of the invisible hand under the social reality of Dashun, a small farmer and small land private ownership?

The invisible hand is the Tao.

It's like, this Tao is to find a place with high temperature.

And a cup of water at 0 degrees, and a cup of water at 15 degrees, this "Tao" will find the water at 15 degrees.

However, a cup of water at 15 degrees, and a cup of water at 50 degrees, this "Tao" will find the water at 50 degrees, instead of continuing to find the water at 15 degrees.

But some people think they recognize that "the invisible hand is the Tao".

But in fact, they regard the "invisible hand" as a technique - a technique that will definitely find 15-degree water, rather than the Tao of finding water with high temperature.

It's similar to that as long as it is used, then industry and commerce will definitely develop. On the contrary, if industry and commerce do not develop, but land annexation and usury are rampant, that must be the result of uselessness.

Lao Tzu said: [What you are talking about now is like a trace. The trace is where the foot is, but is the trace the foot? ]

This is probably what it means.

A group of people hold footprints and think that they are feet.

This is too far from the Tao.

Of course, it doesn't mean that this is not possible.

Merge if you want.

When annexation reaches its limit, the land will be concentrated in the hands of the big landlords. Then there will be no annexation, right?

The problem is... you have to be able to do it. Zhang Jiao, Huang Chao, Zhu Yuanzhang, and Li Zicheng are not capable of it.

History has proven that no one in every dynasty has this ability.

Then, we cannot "disregard reality" and only talk about "reason".

Because the world is real and realistic.

So, we cannot ignore reality.

Therefore, Li Xi acknowledged reality.

So, Li Xi read Wang Anshi's poems and also said Su Che's evaluation.

In the end, we can only say that each takes half.

Then, this sounds interesting.

Each takes half?

At the end of the development of the Yanli School, when Wang Yuan proposed the "each takes half" plan of "both industrial and commercial development and protection of the interests of small farmers", he thought about it and racked his brains, and finally thought of "only farmers have land theory".

That is, strengthening identity control, so that each can take half.

The premise of "only farmers have land" is that we need to develop industry and commerce, but we cannot abolish currency like the Joseon Dynasty, and we allow appropriate land transactions, etc.

Finally, I thought, hey, aren't you a businessman with money? Then I'll give you an identity mark, and merchants are not allowed to buy land, even if they have money. Isn't this solved?

This is also to recognize reality.

Then, take half of each, recognize reality, there must be policies, means, governance techniques, and specific methods.

It is not to say that just talking about policies can ensure that merchants with money do not buy land or lend money, but honestly engage in industry and commerce in developed areas.

So, what about policies?

What about specific policies?

The plan given by Wang Anshi is clearly written in the poem.

[The ruler is good at holding power, like the sky holding the dipper]

The problem is that this plan itself is a fantasy.

Whether it is the Song Dynasty, the Ming Dynasty, or the Dashun Dynasty, what kind of people can achieve [like the sky holding the dipper]?

What kind of organizational ability do you have?

What kind of grassroots control do you have?

Do you really think that the ruler is like the Yellow Emperor, who can know all the details of the world?

With more than 100 million mu of land and administrative ability that cannot collect 20 million taels of silver a year, how can you be qualified to talk about [like the sky holding the Dou Kui]?

This is not to sing praises for extortion.

Rather, it is.

I have the ability to collect 100 million taels of silver in land tax, but I don't.

And I also want to collect, but I don't have the ability to collect.

This is not the same thing at all.

You must first have the ability to collect 100 million taels before you are qualified to talk about "benevolent government". I won't accept it.

And you have no ability to accept it at all, but you still talk about "benevolence and righteousness". That is simply because I can't be the richest man because I don't want to.

However, Liu Yu did not pursue this question, but asked: "Nowadays, there is some knowledge that is gradually becoming famous."

"That is, the so-called equalization of land, the eleventh day, shipbuilding, immigration, and cultivating fusang."

“First enrich small farmers, then industry and commerce.”

"In this way, the market is available."

"In this way, small farmers will be rich, and those who are hired as workers for others will have high wages."

"It can also be regarded as Su Zi's strategy under today's conditions: 'Be poor but not destitute, the rich and the poor will remain in stalemate for a long time, and the world will be settled'."

"This kind of outstanding knowledge is becoming more and more popular, and its spirit is gradually taking shape. Your Highness, do you think it is possible?"

"Also, there are some retro-Confucian words mixed into it. It is thought that the formation of rural covenants and the transformation of well fields are added on top of it, which is a further step."

This is not a taboo in Dashun.

The saying that equalizing land is the most benevolent government in the world has always been politically correct.

Whether it should be done or not is one thing; whether this statement will lead to immediate beheading is another matter.

Since Liu Yu said that these statements are all "exhibiting learning".

So, Li Han must have heard it more than once.

Moreover, this is indeed the Xianxue today, especially the Xianxue that is obvious and obvious in the new school.

This idea had already appeared on the market as early as when Liu Yu was arguing with the Yan-Li school of thought under the leadership of Songsu in Nanyang.

And with the immigration of Fuso, some things seem to be really achievable.

I used to ridicule the Yan and Li school, saying that you are thinking about fifty acres of land per person, and you don’t understand arithmetic at all, so you are just thinking nonsense.

But now...

There are literally billions of acres of land that can be cultivated in Fusang and Southern Ocean, and the climate is suitable.

A small farmer's dream.

Ida retro.

New business studies.

These three doctrines, which were originally said to be completely impossible to mix together and might even be irreconcilable, turned out to be a hodgepodge of doctrines.

However, the difficulty with this question is not whether this is explicit learning.

Rather, learning can be demonstrated among the people.

However, Xianxue cannot have spokespersons in the court.

Unless Xian Xue ceases to be Xian Xue and becomes Sacred Xue.

Otherwise...you, a duke, you, a prince, have become the "popular person" of prominent scholars. What do you want to do?

You, the Duke, are planning to go one step further and be granted the title of "Dong Anshun" in Dashun?

Or are you, the prince, planning to gather these distinguished scholars in the palace and launch a plan to go to the general's palace?

Even lower, he is not a prince, but a scholar-official.

So are you planning to "change the world's learning with one person's efforts"? Are you planning to develop the "New Meanings of the Three Classics", reform the imperial examinations, and establish schools? In the future, the "New Meanings of the Three Classics" will be used as the standard answer when selecting scholars?

Even so, Liu Yu said it was purely an academic discussion.

But academic discussions are fine if you are far away from the world; but it is a bit scary to engage in academic discussions at the height of a temple.

At the beginning, Li Han just talked about free trade with Liu Yu, and he was very happy, and even wanted to build a new world. This is not a big problem at all.

Now, when Liu Yu asked this, Li Han felt a little awkward.

He did not answer directly, but laughed and said: "This matter is easier said than done."

"In the past, Duke Jing changed the law and the world was in chaos. It cannot be said that Duke Jing was a traitorous minister as the predecessors said, right? He always thought about the country."

"Today, the Yellow River has not been completed yet. I will consider this matter and discuss it later."

"When the Yellow River is completed...as the Duke of the country said: people who come later will do things later."

"However, is it possible to adopt a compromise strategy?"

A compromise, a compromise.

In recent years, the most indispensable thing in Dashun's policies is a compromise strategy.

Various compromises.

Since we are talking about a compromise.

So, that is the mud.

There is no need for Liu Yu to ask what a compromise strategy is.

Nothing more than that.

There is no equalization of land.

Not much has changed.

Industrial and commercial development.

Everything is business as usual.

And use the tax revenue from the imperial court to carry out immigration matters.

This year it will be moved to a county, next year it will be moved to a state, and the year after that it will be moved to a prefecture.

The Foolish Old Man moved the mountains and the Jingwei reclaimed the sea. There are hundreds of states and counties in the world. It is estimated that they will be almost finished in a hundred years.

Li Han doesn't need to say what a compromise is.

Liu Yu had to ask, to see if Li Han could afford to do something based on his understanding of reality and economics.

Then he said: "Now that we are talking about this compromise strategy, someone once said so."

"The so-called: taxation can be compared to the effect of the sun absorbing the earth's vapors, and then distributing them in the state of rain to all places that need water for nourishment and production. And this water, in turn, evaporates back to the sky, and the cycle continues."

“If this cycle is carried out regularly, fertility, nourishment, vitality, and development ensue.”

"But when the sky pours out in its fury, in torrents of rain. There is only so much transpiring water, more here, less there."

"Whether there is rain here or drought there, whether the rain is beneficial or harmful, it can be assumed that the same amount of water is almost always taken and returned at the end."

"So distribution alone makes a difference. Fairness and regularity, it creates abundance."

“The water cycle is like this, and so is taxation.”

"Using taxation as a support for immigration has two meanings."

"In the beginning, the total amount of water was certain, but the water fell where it should."

"Subsequently, with the migration, immigration, and reclamation, the total 'water' will also increase. And more water can be used to nourish more dry places."

“Relying on taxes to support immigration and reclamation as the upfront expenditure for immigration and reclamation village communities.”

"Then, after a few years, these settlers can not only repay the initial expenditure, but also provide indirect taxes such as land tax and salt tax. In this cycle, the 'total amount of water' will become larger and larger, and the places that can be nourished will be limited. More and more..."

"What do you think, His Highness?"

Li Han didn't think too much, smiled and shook his head: "It doesn't apply."

"If these lands that can be cultivated are in the Central Plains or even in the Liao Dynasty, it will be easy to say. This is correct."

"But the current reality is that these lands that can be cultivated are in Fusang. So this idea is completely wrong."

"Of course, as I said before, water is used as a metaphor for taxation, and it acts as rain on behalf of the sky, so that it can moisten droughts and reduce floods. This statement is certainly correct."

"But later on, it's very unrealistic."

"Since we are in Fusang, tens of thousands of miles away...if the British colonize the Thirteen States, it will not last long and will be reversed in a few years."

"And if you want it to last, taxing them and completing the cycle is unrealistic."

"First, Fusang is tens of thousands of miles away, and one person's move will cost him no less than a hundred and fifty taels. How many years can he pay off the initial expenses by just planting?"

"Secondly, taxing them can at best be used for resettling, eating, and waiting for the harvest after the immigrants have passed."

"But these expenditures are small."

"The big head is from the Central Plains to the seaside, and then sails from the seaside to Fusang. This big head, their tax is meaningless."

"Therefore, this fantasy, at least for this dynasty, has no reality."

"Instead of thinking about this, it would be better to say that we should continue to develop industry and commerce, while taxing processors and increasing immigration as a compromise. This may be feasible. But if we want to engage in reclamation, we should use the endowment of reclamation and provide the benefits of immigration. Capital is not feasible.”

"The Duke is testing me on this matter."

"The Duke's method of immigrating to Fusang did not rely on the benefits of reclamation, but on the benefits of industry and commerce. He first dug for gold and then sold wine, rubbed cotton, and dried salt. In the final analysis, it was based on these profits as wages and paid to hired workers. And hired workers And use this money to buy land for farming. In the final analysis, this money comes from industry and commerce, not from reclamation.”

"The compromise strategy I mentioned is the same. It's just that the Duke of Fusang is raising money to immigrate to Fusang. I just thought that by continuing to develop local industry and commerce, the tax revenue would be used for relocation."

"In the final analysis, money still depends on industry and commerce. We cannot rely on the benefits of reclamation to form a cycle of its own."