Chapter 50: Ministers whispering about the impossibility of pro-vassal feudalism
The Shun Dynasty's handling of the colonization of various countries rarely included the Western Zhou style of feudal state-building.
In fact, this is not surprising, at least in Li Laiheng's view, whether it is the Western Zhou-style feudal state or the ancient Greek-style city-state colonization, this group of colonists has advantages in technology, civilization, and military.
The method of establishing a new city in a foreign place and then assimilating the natives to form a colony could only exist in ancient times.
The theory of enfeoffing princes overseas was also proposed by some people during the Shun Dynasty. For example, Mao Pijiang once wrote a memorial in "Professional Feudal Theory" to describe this view.
But it is obvious that the opponents' theories are more powerful. For example, Taishi Fang raised various doubts about this ancient feudal colonial method in the article "I secretly discuss the impossibility of pro-vassal feudalism".
Throughout modern times, there have been Spanish-style colonization, Portuguese-style colonization, British-style colonization, French-style colonization, and Chinese spontaneous colonization. These colonial methods that have stood the test of time for hundreds of years have not adopted the methods of ancient times.
The Western Zhou Dynasty and ancient Greek colonial laws.
This is enough to show that the ancient colonial methods are no longer able to adapt to the conditions of the new era.
Carving a boat in search of a sword, or trying to find a fish in a tree will result in failure.
The early Spanish colonial empire's colonial method of ripping bones and marrow and killing the people was never considered by Shun Dynasty. The British and French colonial methods based on immigrant communities and the spontaneous colonial process of later generations of Chinese
It is relatively close and has great reference significance.
The Portuguese colonization of Brazil created an extremely close relationship between the two countries, so much so that Brazil was not even willing to change English to American English like the United States. The intellectual class completely rejected the idea of changing Portuguese with Brazilian patois to Brazilian.
practice.
There is a metaphor that says Brazil is the daughter of Portugal and the United States is the son of Britain.
Those who have been fathers, or at least those who have fantasized about being fathers, should be able to appreciate the difference: they are all members of the same family, but the sweetness is different; quarrels and fights are inevitable, but the routines are also very different.
As for letting a few princes, princes, take some troops, people and resources to parachute directly to a certain place to establish a country, this completely ancient colonial method can only be said to be impossible to implement scientifically and technically. It is purely
This is the language of novelists.
It is impossible for any minister in the court to agree to such a ridiculous colonial method.
It is even more absurd to imagine that by parachuting a prince to a foreign country that already has a considerable foundation of civilization, he can rule the country in peace and stability for a long time.
Did Duke Mu's long-term rule over Yunnan depend on Mu Ying's airborne enfeoffment?
It relied on the Mongols' devastating blow to the Dali country and the Ming army's successful reconquest of Yunnan.
In comparison, the loss of Vietnam in the early Ming Dynasty was because Chengzu did not follow Mu Ying's old example and let Zhang Fushi control Vietnam?
If you only have such a superficial understanding of the loss of Vietnam in the early Ming Dynasty.
However, we cannot see the Mongolian Yuan’s attack on Dali, we cannot see the devastating blow suffered by Yunnan’s local elites in the wars at the end of the Yuan Dynasty and the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, and we cannot see the spiritual culture independently developed by Vietnam’s local wealthy families during the Yuan Dynasty.
By "parachuting a prince" and "making a certain general hereditary", we can solve the problem of the unstable rebellion of foreign elites with considerable civilized foundations. With such absurd and confusing insights, there is nothing to say and can only lead to failure.
The result is.
The only thing that can be changed by a general and a pro-vassal in a certain place is that the central organization's response to local rebellions speeds up.
In this case, wouldn't the Metropolitan Governor's Office established by Dashun, which has the nature of focusing on military and political affairs, also play the same role?
If it cannot give the local wealthy elite a channel to rise, cannot integrate the independent culture developed by the local wealthy elite into the mainstream stage, and cannot solve this problem, then the establishment of the Metropolitan Governor's House will be the same as the feudal vassal and the general world town.
Is there any difference?
To solve these problems, what is needed is a strong and continuous investment of national power from the mother country, and an inclusive attitude shown when the main culture of the mother country flourishes.
Those who are obsessed with ancient feudal laws and try to restore the colonial methods of the Western Zhou Dynasty or ancient Greece, and think that they can surpass the half-thousand-year colonial practice experience of Spain, Portugal, England and France, are more than just confused!
Li Laiheng is not that stupid.
Among those who have experienced colonial practice for more than half a millennium, the British achievements are the most famous, Spain has a profound impact on people with its huge effect, and the French colonization failed to gain historical recognition due to the inadequacy of national power.
verification.
However, the Portuguese-style colonial method, after a long period of historical verification, has created a special situation in which even the indigenous elites of Portuguese Brazil generally do not desire independence.
Brazil became independent because the Portuguese mainland was occupied by Napoleon, and the royal family had to flee to Brazil. After the collapse of the Napoleonic empire, the Portuguese royal family moved back to the mainland, leaving the prince to serve as regent in Brazil. The following year, the Portuguese prince declared Brazil independent and established Brazil.
The Brazilian Empire.
Therefore, when Brazil became independent, the Brazilian head of state and the Portuguese head of state were actually a father and son.
And once the father of Portugal dies, the "son emperor" of Brazil will continue to inherit the throne of Portugal.
The Shun Dynasty mainly adopted the Portuguese-style governorship system and the franchised settlement system for areas with low civilization foundation and sparse population.
For example, on the land purchased from Spain in Qingqiu Prefecture, the Shun Dynasty established eight areas under the jurisdiction of the Dudu Prefecture, and countless franchised settlements (i.e. camps) were established within the jurisdiction of each Dudu Prefecture.
In areas with a higher civilizational foundation and denser populations, such as North Korea and Japan, they adopted heavy military presence, vigorously promoted the camp system in military-controlled areas, enfeoffed the indigenous powerful families to share power equally, and established the indigenous powerful families to provide support to the central court.
Channels for advancement, opportunities for the indigenous wealthy culture to integrate into the mainstream culture of the mainland... and other ways.
In the Old World and the New World, the colonial methods adopted by the Shun Dynasty were completely different.
In fact, the kind of colonial method that ignores the differences between the Old World and the New World and categorically adopts the same ancient, "prince parachute" style of colonization can only exist in novels, and there is no historical blueprint for copying.
The most typical point is that due to the Shun Dynasty's "colonies" (or more appropriately called new territories) within the scope of the Old World, most societies were highly organized and had a relatively large population.
Therefore, the governments and social organizations in these new territories must have been established on the basis of the old social organizational framework of the indigenous powerful families.
The new rulers of the Shun Dynasty must complete the task of integrating the society of the Han conquerors and the indigenous wealthy tribes, and must provide a channel for the indigenous wealthy tribes to advance to the mainland court. They must also find a suitable place for the indigenous elite culture in the mainstream culture of the mainland.
s position.
Even in Korea, due to the long-term massacre by the Qing army, the indigenous wealthy families have suffered a particularly heavy blow to their culture.
However, thousands of years of prophecies of independence and independent culture required the conquerors of the Shun Dynasty to carefully manage their new territories and invest a lot of resources in this effort.
The fantasy that by enfeoffing a prince and letting the "prince" (or a general or something) carry a small amount of material and human resources to rule a new territory in a long-term and stable manner is really unrealistic.
The tyranny of distance and communication technology is not the fundamental reason why the empire cannot control new territories with long-term stability. The fundamental reason lies in the arrangements for the upward channels and cultural integration of indigenous wealthy families.
Of course, some people may imagine that after a "prince" is parachuted into the feudal society, this "prince" can completely fill his government with indigenous wealthy families and provide them with enough channels for advancement.
But the question is, in this case, apart from the fact that the ruler has the title of "prince" and a Han name, what is the difference between this new territory and the old independent country in the past?
The successful integration of Yunnan in the Yuan and Ming dynasties did not rely on Mu Ying's airborne enfeoffment, but on three hundred years of continuous investment of national power.