Chapter 141 Better Soldiers and Simplified Administration
"Under the leadership of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Border Region first implemented streamlined troops and simplified administration, and carried out three streamlined operations successively, achieving great results. Subsequently, all base areas generally implemented streamlined troops and streamlined administration. The main content is... The widespread implementation of the policy of streamlined troops and streamlined administration has played an important role in reducing consumption and increasing
Production has played a positive role in reducing people's burdens, overcoming material difficulties, and improving personnel quality and work efficiency." - Baidu Master
Of course, Qiu Linjiang would not know that the magical ruling party a thousand years later was the source of the famous phrase "better troops and simpler administration", but at this moment, he did not hesitate to sign up in advance, and he almost held a desperate attitude.
I just said it out of my state of mind.
In fact, the shortcomings such as the expansion of the imperial court's institutions and overstaffing are certainly related to factors such as unclear positioning of the imperial court's functions, failure to keep up with real changes in the national situation, taking care of many things that should not be taken care of, or low efficiency.
At the same time, there is another reason, which is that the current situation of overstaffing has formed. There are too many people and the "soldiers" are not "skilled" enough.
If the former is caused by "miscellaneous things" leading to "many people", then the latter is caused by "many people" leading to "miscellaneous things". This has formed a vicious circle. When the "soldiers" are not "skilled" enough, many yamen's
Officials are doing nothing. According to Cao Shen's theory, if so many officials are doing nothing, they are likely to "cause trouble", that is, they always have to do something to show that they are doing something.
At the same time, too many people also make the interpersonal relationships and departmental relationships within the yamen more complicated, which greatly reduces the efficiency of work, resulting in a "miscellaneous" situation. In order to cope with this situation, more organizations must be added.
More people will lead to a vicious cycle, so the bloat and expansion of the organization are inevitable.
It can be seen that the lack of "refined" "soldiers" is also an important reason why the "government" is not "simplified". If it is not streamlined, it will be difficult to improve its troops. If it is not refined, it will also be difficult to simplify its administration. Such a vicious cycle can replicate itself and eventually even lead to reforms.
The situation is becoming more and more difficult to return to. The longer it is delayed, the more difficult it will be to implement reforms.
However, this does not mean that the relationship between "elite soldiers" and "simplified administration" is a confused relationship between "chicken lays the egg" and "the egg lays the chicken". It means that the two are actually a companion and parasitic relationship.
The emergence of one situation will inevitably lead to the emergence of another situation. Therefore, Qiu Linjiang's so-called leaner army and simpler administration is not just about disarmament and the removal of officials. His deep meaning, to use the words of later generations, is actually to implement a certain situation.
For this kind of management system reform, if we want to have a two-pronged approach, we must "simplify administration" while also "better troops", and "better troops" must not delay "simplification of administration" at the same time.
As far as the current situation is concerned, Qiu Linjiang believes that "elite soldiers" have more significance as a breakthrough, because "the law is not enough to be self-contained", and any system is ultimately established by people, executed by people, and maintained by people.
In fact, he was not unaware of the issue of official selection mentioned in his earlier Wanyan book. In the final analysis, the most critical issue of the court's new law was not an issue at the institutional level, but a "people" issue. Because, the system
The implementation direction of the new law is actually very clear and easy to understand. The real difficulty lies in whether there are "people" willing to go, dare to go, and able to promote such a new law.
What he calls "better troops and simpler administration" is not just as simple as disarmament and removal of officers. His idea of "better soldiers" highlights the implementation of "people" responsibilities. It means that those who hold real power have responsibilities and obligations to actively promote and cooperate.
The new law should realize "simplified administration", shoulder the responsibilities that one should bear, and even make necessary sacrifices, instead of becoming an obstacle to the new law.
As for those redundant officials who "stand in the toilet and do nothing", those who should be dismissed should be removed without mercy, and those who should be retired to sinecures should be resolutely allowed to retire to sinecures. In addition, those princes with noble titles
Mr. Hou, since the salary of the title cannot be reduced, then some of the miscellaneous and miscellaneous positions he holds concurrently should be removed.
Of course, this streamlining is mainly from the perspective of the imperial court organization. As for the reduction of the army, it also needs to be carried out. However, it is extremely difficult to realize this idea.
If the various officials in the Wei Dynasty want to be downsized, it can be done step by step through the supreme imperial power. For example, a few positions will be cut off this month, and a few yamen will be abolished next month. It can be done step by step slowly, but the military
The reduction is very sensitive. This sensitivity lies in the fact that the Wei Dynasty had an unwritten habit, which can be regarded as an unspoken rule, that is, the number of the central army of the imperial court should be maintained at the level of the four major frontier armies combined or slightly exceed
Just say that now, the Yun family has thirty-six guards, the Zhou family has twenty-seven guards, the Leng family has twenty-one guards, the Jiang family has eighteen guards, and the four major border towns have a total of one hundred and two guards.
, a total of more than 570,000 troops
The central army of the imperial court has three hidden (meaning that it is not officially organized in this way) guards of "Guandong", "Jiangdong" and "Huguang", with a total of 108 guards and a total army of 600,000 people.
Since there is this unspoken rule, if the Central Army really wants to disarmament, it is bound to make the border army draw down or disband accordingly. However, there are two big questions: first, will the four major border towns agree to disarmament; second, will the four major border towns agree to disarmament?
Based on the current border defense situation, whether the border troops can be reduced, and if so, will it cause the surrounding "barbarians" to peek into the Central Plains?
Qiu Linjiang asked himself that he didn't know much about military affairs, so he was really not sure about the latter thorough military issue. Furthermore, he didn't know much about how the imperial court's military power could maintain a balance with the four major border towns, so he was a little hesitant about this point.
Little did he know that this was the issue that Lin You was most concerned about!
When Lin You heard Qiu Linjiang's words, his eyes suddenly flashed, he looked at him deeply, and asked in a low and powerful voice: "Qiu Aiqing, please give me a try!"
The second prime minister and the fourth prime minister were all shocked by Qiu Linjiang's words. They all looked at him in surprise. They even thought that the newly promoted Qiuge prime minister had a brain cramp. He was so bold, even when the old god was there.
Di Shencheng also opened his eyes quickly, and there was a hint of coldness in his seemingly cloudy eyes, but more of it was a very oppressive inspection, as if he wanted to see through Qiu Linjiang's whole person, so that he could know
What on earth was he thinking when he said this?
However, Qiu Linjiang was unafraid and said with a calm and authentic expression: "Your Majesty, my lords, in the 200 Spring and Autumn Period since the founding of the Wei Dynasty, there were many systems that were once very good, but now they are no longer suitable to be implemented. Your Majesty, I
I checked the case files after I took over as Zuo Fudu, and found that when the country was founded, the number of officials in the country was only 100,000, and the official salary at that time was not as high as it is now. No, there were not that many allowances, so the court only paid 100,000 yuan per year every year.
It requires a small amount of money to maintain it. However, now, there are more than 180,000 official officials in the country, nearly 600,000 various types of officials, and the annual official salary is as high as 12 million yuan! Your Majesty, gentlemen, this
Of the 800,000 officials, how many are really needed by the imperial court? How many are needed by the people of the world?"
Gu Heng frowned and said: "During Taizu's time, the country had only 7 million households and a population of 40 million. However, according to statistics from the Ministry of Household Affairs, there are now 22 million registered households and a population of 10 million and 10 million. So
It is reasonable for the number of people to increase, and the number of officials to increase correspondingly. Is it not as serious as what Mr. Qiuge said?"
Qiu Linjiang shook his head and said: "Linjiang disagrees with what Prime Minister Gu said. For example, if there are 10,000 people in a county, the court can send one county magistrate to govern it. But could it be that if the county has 100,000 people in the future, the court will send 100,000 people to govern it?"
Can a county magistrate be able to govern? Such an argument is unconvincing."
Gu Heng frowned: "Wang Tao (Qiu Linjiang, courtesy name Wangtao, mentioned in the previous article) is not unreasonable. Although there is only one county magistrate, as Wang Tao said, there are many people below the county magistrate.
However, the number of officials will definitely increase, so the number of officials will still increase."
Qiu Linjiang smiled slightly: "The population of the country has increased from 40 million to 10 million and 10 million, without tripling, but the number of officials has increased from 100,000 to nearly 800,000, which has increased eight times...
Mr. Gu, is this normal?"
Gu Heng choked up when asked, and twisted his beard in silence.
Lin You spoke up at this time: "So what Qiu Aiqing thinks is the normal number of officials in the dynasty at this moment?"
Qiu Linjiang said: "If calculated according to Taizu's time, the total number of officials in the country should not exceed 300,000 at present. However, with the lingering blessings of two hundred years, a slight increase in officials is not unacceptable... I think it is
Today, there should be no more than 400,000 officials.”
Half of the 800,000 to 400,000 people will be cut off! - Qiu Linjiang means: Half of the officials in the world will be cut off!
These people in the Wenhua Palace were naturally the top people in the Wei Dynasty, but even if they were used to the big world, they couldn't help but gasped at Qiu Linjiang's words: 400,000 officials, this is 400,000 officials
, not the refugees caused by the drought in Shandong that everyone has been discussing these days! When you say this, it is really shocking!
Not only did Shen Gu the Second Prime Minister and the four pavilion elders, but even Lin You couldn't help but tremble in his heart after hearing this. It is easy to add more officials but difficult to remove them. If he had said that he wanted to remove half of the officials, he would probably do it immediately.
After becoming a "tyrant", he calmed down, controlled his expression with great perseverance, and said calmly: "Well, if Qiu Aiqing thinks about this more, we will discuss it in the cabinet to see what can be done.
We will eliminate redundant yamen and idle officials without causing unnecessary trouble, so that everyone can be happy."
Regardless of good or bad, once the emperor speaks, everyone will naturally receive the order first. As for whether to implement it or not, that is another matter.
Lin You coughed slightly and asked again: "Elite soldiers and simple administration. Now that we have simplified administration, what should we do with the elite soldiers? What do you think, Qiu Aiqing?"
Qiu Linjiang frowned and muttered: "Your Majesty, I don't know much about military affairs. I dare not express any opinions on the 1.2 million combat troops of the country, so as not to mislead Your Majesty and your colleagues. But I don't know much about the military affairs."
I have some ideas on how to deal with the household - or rather manage -. Although it is not mature yet, I dare not take it too seriously and am willing to throw some light on it and make a start for my colleagues."
Lin You's heart skipped a beat, and he was a little dissatisfied with Qiu Linjiang's silence about the reduction of the regular combat army, but this thought only passed through his mind. He also knew that Qiu Linjiang probably really didn't understand this, after all, he said before
What he said was already so shocking that he wouldn't hesitate to say it because he didn't dare to say it at this moment, so he nodded and motioned for him to continue.
Qiu Linjiang received the emperor's permission and continued: "Take the imperial court as an example. In addition to paying 600,000 central troops, they also have to pay nearly 4 million military households. And these 4 million people, each person per year
It requires eight taels of silver. In other words, the imperial court actually spends 32 million taels of silver every year on people like them who neither protect the territory for the court nor farm and do business! What kind of waste is this? They are military households.
It's true, but just because of this, you don't have to pay taxes to the court. Is it a bit unfair to ordinary people? After all, these military households have stopped participating in training and combat. Since there is no training and combat, why do they enjoy tax exemption?
And can we cultivate this military land without spending any money?"
Gu Heng and others had no objection to Qiu Linjiang's money from these military households. However, Yu Zhongle was a little worried and said, "Although Lord Qiu's words are good, most of these military households are the families of soldiers currently serving in the army."
, if their pay is cut off, I am afraid that if they make a fuss, the morale of the military will not be stable, and that will be troublesome."
Qiu Linjiang had a solution for this, and immediately said: "They have no income, so they will naturally make a fuss. But if the imperial court cuts their salary but gives them other easy ways out, then the so-called military morale is unstable.
It’s also avoidable.”
Yu Zhongle was a little confused: "Give them another good way out? What way out? What's a good way to go?"
Qiu Linjiang said: "What's the difficulty in giving a way out? These military households have long been differentiated between men and women, but the court did not give any special arrangements in the past. They just let them farm by themselves, and then the court gave them some military pay to subsidize them.
In fact, this method is rather dull. Mr. Yu, do you think the court should separate these people? Young women are clever and clever, and we can arrange for them to gather together to spin and weave, raise silkworms to make silk; young men or farm
, or mining, or arrange for them to be registered under the name of the Ministry of Industry to clean up the river channels... The smarter ones can also be sent to learn how to burn kilns and make pottery and porcelain... In short, there are actually many things that can support people, especially if
The imperial court is willing to spend a little time coordinating and arranging their work. Linjiang thinks that not only will these people not become a burden to the imperial court, but they can also contribute a considerable amount of income to the imperial court, so why not?"
Before Yu Zhongle could say anything, Lin You burst out laughing: "Okay, okay, okay! Although Qiu Aiqing's words were not quoted from scriptures, they were very reasonable and very practical! Previously, Qiu Aiqing always proposed new laws.
I pointed out that the court's current handling methods are not good, but most of them do not propose solutions. I think that is not enough, but this one can actually solve the problem. Well said!"
The second prime minister and several pavilion elders looked at each other with smiles on their faces, and agreed one by one. In their opinion, since Qiu Linjiang had found such a good solution in this matter, the imperial court was in urgent need of it.
I am afraid that the problem will be greatly improved next year. In this way, should we stop insisting on the issue of cutting officials?
