The agricultural policies of the Han Dynasty or the Liu family.
Until today, in fact, it is all based on the popular autonomy based on Huang Lao Wuwei's thought.
For the Huang Lao faction, as long as the people do not break the law, they will not interfere even if they pierce the earth.
This system has been working very well over the past few decades.
In fact, there is no system that works better than this one.
The rulers only need to draw a red line and tell the people: You cannot do these things, and if you do, I will arrest you.
Then, people abide by the law and pay taxes on time.
The government is responsible for getting rid of those thorns.
But any system will inevitably run into problems over time.
And the Chinese are the smartest and most adventurous nation in the world.
Not to mention the Han Dynasty's simple small government policy of governing by doing nothing.
Even during the Qin Dynasty, people played many tricks on the strict laws.
Not to mention, the famous saying of later generations: there are policies at the top and countermeasures at the bottom.
Therefore, the Han Dynasty system began to slowly become rigid, and local gentry found countless loopholes in the rules.
Qilu area is a typical representative.
The local landowners and gentry, in collusion with the government, easily turned the people into tenant farmers.
As a result, a huge country called Jinan emerged, but there were only 300 families with land in the whole country.
Later, the Tian Fu and Guan Fu cases that occurred in the Emperor Wu Dynasty exposed the flaws of this system.
Especially the case of Guan Fu, a mere Guan Fu, relying on the protection of Dou Ying, actually overran a county. The county guard and the county lieutenant all became the lackeys of the Guan family. The people had no way to redress their grievances and could only howl and cry.
In the end, if Tian Dou had not fought for the upper hand, Tian Fu would have used Guan Fu as a breakthrough point.
I'm afraid, I don't know how long the Guan clan's dominance over the local area will last.
Therefore, during the reign of Emperor Wu, the Legalist movement exploded, and officials who used harsh laws and used the heads of local powerful men to improve their political performance rose to prominence.
Among them, there is a profound social foundation and mass demand.
At present, Liu Che is not sure that he can make subversive adjustments to the national policy of the Han Dynasty while ensuring political stability.
However, minor repairs are still possible.
Huang Lao does nothing but does everything.
Tinkering is the characteristic of Mr. Huang.
Of course, on this issue, Liu Che knew that he couldn't just make a decision on his own.
Extensive and in-depth research must be conducted.
Then, find an experimental location, conduct experiments, evaluate the effects, and then gradually promote it.
Just like the salt and iron government-run policy and the food price protection policy, only by slowly promoting and constantly improving can we avoid harming and crippling the people.
Besides, there is going to be a war soon.
Liu Che didn't want the soldiers at the front to be bleeding and sweating, but the court behind him to be in chaos.
Therefore, Liu Che sat up straight and asked Shang Rong: "In my opinion, what should the court do to change today's predicament?"
After hearing the emperor's question, Shang Rong also cheered up.
Dilemma!
This adjective of the emperor shows that the emperor also saw the consequences of this situation continuing.
The rich get richer and the poor get poorer.
Society will be more horribly polarized than in any previous era.
Today's wealthy families use advanced farming tools and advanced farming techniques.
They used cattle and horses to plow the land, and fertilized it with silt, dung and grass ash, as well as bone meal and chemical fertilizers bought from the Salt and Iron Yamen.
They take good care of their land.
And the output of the land did not disappoint them.
The yield of one acre of wheat is one and a half times, or even more than twice that of corn.
Therefore, they can feed more children and occupy more land.
Poor families, on the other hand, can only continue to live in the old times, using old methods and growing old crops.
Over time, within twenty years, they will be abandoned by the times.
The country and government must care more about and cherish those people who use one acre of land to produce two acres of food.
They will also receive more political treatment and social status.
It is possible for their children to join the army or study and become officials.
What about the poor?
Still living in a predicament of not having enough to eat and even being in debt to the landlord all year round.
What is even more frightening is when there are two groups that grow different crops and have very different statuses.
Society is divided.
Those who grow wheat may feel that they are naturally better than those growing corn.
And this kind of separation is harmful to the country but not beneficial.
Qin Shi Huang spent his whole life pushing his chariots on the same track and writing books with the same text. However, a hundred years later, in the Han Dynasty, there were two groups that cultivated different crops and had very different statuses.
Even people who are insensitive to politics know that this is bound to cause a big problem.
What's more, an elite like Shang Rong?
Therefore, after discovering this fact, Shang Rong has been thinking of ways to report it to the emperor through various channels.
Unfortunately, in recent years, the emperor and court officials have been paying attention to the Xiongnu and the war.
Everyone feels very optimistic and gratifying about the domestic situation.
Countless people sang his praises.
Even the censors who were supposed to be the emperor's eyes and ears pretended not to see the situation at the grassroots level.
Everyone is talking about the prosperous age of Yuande.
He also called the rule of the late emperor and Taizong the rule of Wenjing, and the prosperous era of Yuande was an unprecedented prosperous era that inherited the rule of Wenjing.
Some people even believe that the Yuande era will flourish for at least another thirty years.
Idealists even believe that Datong can be achieved within three generations.
Only officials like Shang Rong, who often go to the grassroots and do serious research, know this clearly.
Under the prosperous times, great crises lurk.
Now, the crisis lurks beneath the surface of a prosperous economy, masked by military success and social development.
However, once this crisis explodes.
I'm afraid, the prosperous age will disappear soon.
replaced by
Troubled times!
Taking a deep breath, Shang Rong bowed and said: "In my humble opinion, I think that in addition to the imperial court needing to adjust its policies to take care and guide the poor people so that they can cultivate wheat, I also need your Majesty's generous favor.
!”
He took out a booklet that had been hidden deep in his chest, opened it, and read: "Today, a bullock is worth fifteen thousand yuan, and a calf is worth more than six thousand yuan. Even if the common people
A good harvest of one hundred acres will cost only a hundred and fifty shi of millet and six thousand shi of money. However, for a family of five to feed one year old, it will cost one hundred shi of millet."
Liu Che nodded, knowing that Shang Rong was right.
Back then, when he was still a prince, he already knew that if the people only relied on the land, even if they were self-cultivated farmers, in a year, even if there were no excessive taxes and normal burdens, a farmer's annual income would never catch up with the expenditure.
Not to mention, if there are several children at home.
That would be even scarier!
Fortunately, Liu Che noticed this fact after he came to the throne.
At least in Guanzhong, Liu Che used his own money and the money he borrowed from businessmen to build water conservancy projects and overhaul roads and bridges.
I just want to rely on these means to subsidize the people.
But, even so.
Liu Che also understood that even ordinary families in Guanzhong would find it difficult to raise enough money to buy cattle or draft horses.
Only small and medium-sized landlord families can have that kind of financial resources.
Of course, if soldiers perform meritorious service, they can also buy cattle from the government with reward money.
However, the proportion is still too small!
Not to mention, if you buy an ox, you will definitely need a plow!
A curved shaft plow, even the simplest one.
It also weighs more than forty kilograms and is worth more than two to three thousand yuan.
Therefore, Shang Rong's meaning is actually ready to come out.
Fake animal!
In the name of the country, cattle, horses and plows are rented to the people at low prices.
This isn't a brainy idea.
Before that, the Han Dynasty had a system of fake horses.
After the fall of Yuan Ang, Liu Che launched a policy to encourage people to raise horses.
People who have the conditions can submit an application to Taipu Yamen and Shaofu Yamen to apply for a stallion, and then take it home to breed. After three years, they will repay the fake horse and interest.
This policy is currently widely promoted in the north.
This is also the basis why small and medium-sized landowners can now afford draft horses.
However, ordinary people cannot afford this policy at all.
Even if they apply to the government, they will not be approved.
Because they could not repay the principal and interest, nor could they keep horses.
Moreover, China has few horses. Even though a large number of horses and livestock were captured after the Mayi War, there is still a serious shortage of horses.
After all, although there are many seizures, China's population base is too large.
Millions of livestock, spread out among individuals, become insignificant.
What's more, the country has to breed its own war horses and keep a large number of livestock as supplies for the army.
But the problems of the common people cannot be solved unless they are solved.
Liu Che scratched his head and said to Shang Rong: "Let me choose a county first. This county must be poor enough, with at least 60% of the people having no cattle or draft horses!"
"Then, after you have selected the county, you will report it to me. I will appoint you as the ambassador and will be fully responsible for the government affairs of the county!"
"You are in the local area and trying to promote the strategy of fake cows and fake plows!"
After thinking about it, Liu Che continued: "However, this strategy should be different from the fake horse!"
This is certain. The purpose of fake horses is to encourage small and medium-sized landowners, especially families who can train cavalry, to raise more horses, thereby expanding the number of horses in China.
However, these fake oxen and fake plows are intended to solve the livelihood and production problems of poor people.
It is impossible, and there is no way, for them to raise enough money to repay the principal and interest in three to five years.
If that were the case, they wouldn't need fake oxen, horses and plows.
Wouldn't it be better to save money and buy it yourself?
What Liu Che hopes to solve is their fundamental dilemma.
That is, so that a large number of poor people from the lower class can also have the right to cultivate winter wheat.
Of course, the country cannot suffer any loss.
If any policy cannot bring benefits, then it cannot last long.
Therefore, Liu Che had no choice but to learn the techniques of later generations of real estate businessmen.
"Your Majesty went to discuss with Yousi and agreed on the price of a plow and an oxen and horses. At this price, the people were asked to pay the principal and interest every year! With a tax of 10%, for a period of thirty years!" Liu Che said.
There is no doubt that this is a mortgage that will make countless house slaves heartbroken in future generations.
Although this policy makes people gnash their teeth with hatred.
However, it does solve the problem of many people unable to afford a house.
It also led to a boom in real estate.
In the pre-Yuan era, Liu Che felt that this might be the best way.
People can't afford cattle and farming tools?
no problem!
Free national rationing!
However, they need to repay the principal and interest regularly every year, and they must pay it together with the land tax.
Of course, Liu Che is much more conscientious than the real estate businessman.
He gave a total interest rate of 10%.
In other words, if the total cost of plowing oxen, plows and other supporting tools is 20,000 yuan.
Then, people who rent their land only need to repay one-thirtieth of the 22,000 yuan each year, which is equivalent to three to four hundred yuan.
This is undoubtedly very conscientious.
The common people have benefited, and the country has not suffered much.
More importantly, it can drive the sales of ironware!
There are now nearly 7 to 8 million households in China, and in the future, there may even be 10 million households!
As long as half of it is spent, buy farming implements and tools from Yantie Yamen.
Then, the annual sales volume of Yantie Yamen is several million sets.
It is self-evident how many benefits there are.
Of course, the specific effect depends on the pilot.
Liu Che even felt that the pilot project was not reliable.
It should be felt slowly through practice.
As for whether people will default on their debts?
hehe
In China, the country has always relied on the people's debt. I have never heard of anyone actually daring to rely on the country's debt!
Government officials at all levels will definitely be willing to teach those who default on their debts how to behave.
The Great Wall and various future projects are also in great need of free labor. To be continued.
