Chapter 103 The Heifer Knocks on the Door--It's Coming Home
Chapter 103: Heifer Knocking Nail - So awesome
Studying this period of history during the Three Kingdoms period is not just about exploring the rankings of military commanders’ combat power, or studying the careful calculations of counselors during confrontations.
More importantly, it is to study the shortcomings of this period.
For example, the conflict between the Han court and the common people's land taxation can be easily understood as the distribution issue between the state pastoral officials and the farmers.
If Cao Cao really wants to fundamentally solve the food problem, the land tax issue must be completely resolved.
"Brother Hiding! Do you know how the government and farmers in various places are divided now?" Yi Xiaotian asked proactively...
Cao Cao answered immediately without thinking, "Counting oxen and losing grain..."
Even though he didn't know much about agriculture, he still knew the distribution method of "counting cattle and losing grain" passed down by the Han Dynasty for more than a hundred years.
The so-called oxen and grain loss means that farmers pay a fixed amount of grain rent according to the number of government oxen used.
For example, if you use a cow from the government, you will pay the share of the cow;
If you use ten cows from the government, you will pay the share of the ten cows...
In other words, if you occupy more resources, you should also pay more land taxes.
This distribution method of counting cattle and losing grain has been passed down in the Han Dynasty for hundreds of years. Now that Yi Xiaotian mentioned it, Cao Cao thought about it carefully. It is fair and reasonable, and there seems to be no disadvantages?
Of course, Cao Cao would not know that it was this distribution method that caused farmers to dare not farm, and could not farm. Even if they just farmed, if they were not careful, they would lose everything they farmed.
As for the reason, Cao Cao had not thought of this level yet, but Yi Xiaotian was very thorough about the twists and turns here.
"Brother Hide, do you think the distribution method of counting cattle and losing grain is fair?" Yi Xiaotian asked first.
"Of course it's fair!" Cao Cao nodded. "Farmers use more cattle, so they should pay more acres of land."
"That's right!" Yi Xiaotian nodded first. "Brother Hide is right. The distribution method of counting cattle and losing grain sounds fair and reasonable at first, but in fact, this distribution method ignores a very important point.
…”
Well…
Seeing Yi Xiaotian's serious expression, Cao Cao put his ear close to him, a little curious.
Yi Xiaotian's words came out next...
"Brother, the biggest problem with calculating cattle and grain is that it collects land rent at a fixed amount. If the harvest is good, the government cannot collect more; when there is a flood or drought, the farmers have to continue to pay the original amount.
As a result, the government will have no more profits in good years, and in bad years, the farmers will not be able to pay the land tax, and over time, they will become impoverished!"
"Brother Hide, have you ever thought about why a large number of peasant uprisings occur in the Han Dynasty every time there is a disaster? Is it true that their rebellion is just a mouse touching a cat's nose - looking for excitement?"
Speaking of this, Yi Xiaotian paused for a moment, then asked and answered himself.
"No... this is because in disaster years, they had no harvest, but they still had to pay expensive field taxes. They worked hard for a whole year, and in the end they were in debt! If at this time, there is a person who raises his arms,
Tell everyone that if you follow him, you will have food, clothing, and no need to pay taxes. Even if he rebels, won't these farmers flock to him?"
"How did the Yellow Turban Rebellion come about? How did the rebellions in various places come about during the Great Han Dynasty? In the final analysis, it was all because of the way the government and the farmers planned to allocate cattle and lose grain!"
Yi Xiaotian said a lot, with a sonorous tone and a serious expression.
Ultimately, this is an attack on the unreasonable feudal distribution system.
Of course, whether it is from his perspective or from the perspective of the farmers, Yi Xiaotian is more willing to change this status quo through hiding his brother, or even through Cao Cao. Only in this way can the people under Cao Cao's rule live and work in peace and contentment, and everyone has clothes to wear.
, everyone has land to cultivate, otherwise, even if there are a bunch of poor people in the world, the business of a wine shop will not be booming.
…
On the other hand, Cao Cao...
At this moment, he felt as if he had been struck by five thunders.
Every sentence and word Yi Xiaotian said was like a bolt of lightning, which quickly fell from Cao Cao's head, making Cao Cao's whole body become enlightened.
No wonder…
In the Han Dynasty, every time there is a disaster, there will be so many rebellions!
No wonder, even if the people have land to farm, they still look sad...
No wonder the people dare not accept the land distributed by the government...
It turns out that the crux of the problem is here. Counting cattle and losing grain is not a distribution method for the government to earn land taxes and replenish granaries. This is the culprit of forcing the people to rebel!
Huh...huh...
Cao Cao took a long breath and felt a little scared.
Fortunately, Brother Yi mentioned this point today, otherwise, this seemingly stable supply of food and grass under the military garrison system must contain many hidden dangers. If one thing is not good or the supply is not complete, it could threaten the current situation that Cao Cao has finally built.
situation.
"Brother Yi..."
Cao Cao stretched out his arm to wipe his sweat. At this time, his voice was trembling, as if he was nervous.
"Brother Yi, what you said really made me better than ten years of studying. I never imagined that a small distribution method that counts cattle and loses grain can actually cause so many disasters!"
At this point, Cao Cao patted his chest, seemingly determined to abolish this unreasonable distribution system. Then he frowned and asked carefully.
"Brother Yi, since you brought up the disadvantages of counting cattle and losing grain? Then... you must have thought of other ways to replace it!"
Cao Cao put his hand on Yi Xiaotian's shoulder, and he looked a little anxious. "Brother Yi, I hope you will give me some advice on the distribution method between the government and the farmers. This is related to the entire Si, Xu, Yan, and Yu regions.
Stability and peace are more related to our financial resources!"
Don't blame Cao Cao for being eager.
This matter is too big. No one wants to fight on the front line. There are always news of rebellions in the rear...
What's more, this kind of rebellion is still based on the sky and is completely unreasonable!
"Brother Hiding, you don't need to be too nervous."
Yi Xiaotian waved his hand gently. Although his tone was still serious, his eyes were much gentler. "The solution to this is actually very simple. It depends on whether Cao Cao has the courage to do this!"
Hmm... courage?
Cao Cao was stunned for a moment, then raised his hand. "Brother Yi, just ask, I have a way to persuade Cao Cao!"
Hearing this, Yi Xiaotian nodded.
"In fact, it is very simple. Just re-formulate the distribution method. Whether it is a good year or a disaster year, the distribution method between the government and the farmers will be directly changed from a quota to related to the harvest of that year."
"You can also directly follow a standard. For example, if you use official oxen to plow the fields, the official will be six and the civilians will be four. If you use your own oxen to plow the fields, you will get a 50-50 split! According to the harvest of that year!"
"In this way, if it is a good year, the government can receive a lot more grain in proportion; if it is a disaster year, the farmers can also keep some of the food for emergency use for the winter. In this way, both the government and the farmers can have more income.
It is related to the harvest of that year, and both parties equally share the risk of natural and man-made disasters."
"Those farmers will also consider that since their income is linked to the harvest of that year, they should simply work harder to increase the harvest. After all, the higher the harvest, the more food they will have left and the better their life will be.
"
“If farmers can understand this simple truth, their enthusiasm will naturally increase!”
Yi Xiaotian told Cao Cao this new distribution method in detail...
Of course, some of this sounds like distribution according to work, and some sounds like robbing people. After all, farmers still have to hand over at least half of their grain to the government after harvesting...
However, in Yi Xiaotian's view, these are nothing at all in the eyes of farmers.
In this troubled world, being able to eat and survive is already a gift from God. Why do they care so much?
What's more, this distribution method improves farmers' ability to resist risks and allows them to store some food.
In this way, it can be said that there are hundreds of benefits and no harm!
…
call out…
Cao Cao was fascinated by what he heard!
Brother Yi's distribution plan, or the method of combining military and civilian villages proposed by Brother Yi, is amazing.
It not only enriches the food and grass supply of the state and county, but also eliminates the potential hidden danger of peasant rebellion.
It's just like an old sow wearing a bra, one set after another. The bra is used to calculate the grain clearly and clearly, which makes people admire and shocked from the bottom of their hearts...
For a moment, Cao Cao's mood was like a heifer knocking on a door, he was simply awesome!
