Chapter 343: Increase taxes and open up monopoly industries!
The so-called Huoxian is the abbreviation of "Huoxia" and "Xianyu". To put it bluntly, they are two ways to make money.
Fire consumption refers to the additional consumption of broken silver when it is smelted into whole pieces.
Because of the continuous improvement of the smelting and casting process, the imperial court basically did not suffer much loss during smelting. Officials just used this as an excuse to increase the amount collected, and then extracted the excess from it for their daily expenses, and to maintain relations with their superiors by giving gifts.
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"Xianyu" refers to the collected grain. When it is stored, sparrows will eat it, so it is necessary to collect more grain from the people. The principle of its existence is basically the same as that of fire consumption.
"Are you trying to turn consumption into a routine method? But let me tell you, if this is pushed forward, the people will suffer. The Wudi area is not bad.
But if you go north or south, it will be further away, and the losses will be more serious. So how much tax will be shared equally on the people?
That's all, just because I'm afraid someone will be greedy.
When you unify the world in the future, you will be three to five thousand miles away. Have you ever thought about how much loss it will cost?" Zhu Jun was amused by Lao Zhu's words.
"Then you have an idea?" Zhu Yuanzhang glared at Zhu Jun. In fact, Zhu Yu did not agree with this method. Additional levies were never a good thing. He came from the bottom, but he knew the virtues of those officials very well.
Zhu Jun pondered, saying that Daye's agricultural tax is actually not high.
If one acre of land is divided into ten parts, then each acre of land only needs to pay about 3% of the grain. Therefore, the grain tax for the people of Daye is actually relatively low.
This is also the reason why despite constant natural and man-made disasters in the great cause, people's lives are still okay.
This system is suitable for recuperation, but in the middle and late stages, big problems will inevitably occur.
Thinking of this, he said: "There are ways, but they cannot be used as a strategy for decades or even centuries.
Just like your custom-made grain tax ratio, such low grain taxes were rare in all dynasties.
Mr. Li said that my father sincerely stands with the people."
"Stop flattering, just tell me the solution!" Zhu Yuanzhang couldn't help but feel better after being flattered by Zhu Jun.
"Dad, have you ever thought about taxation in various aspects?" Zhu Jun said.
"What's the meaning?"
"Collect commercial taxes!" In the early days of Daye, grain taxes were the main ones. There were commercial taxes, but the types were rare, because Daye officials mainly engaged in monopoly businesses, such as the establishment of official stores, monopolizing transportation, storage and other industries, and implemented low taxes.
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"What do you mean? The commercial tax is not enough right now?" Zhu Yuanzhang frowned.
"Is the business tax high?" Zhu Jun said: "Big businessmen earn tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of taels of silver a year. How much money do they donate to their great cause?
How many people are standing behind those businessmen? How much tax do these businessmen, who are full of food and drink, contribute to Daqian in a year?
Yingtian Chamber of Commerce has more than 2,000 members, and the annual membership fee alone exceeds 5,000 taels, which is nothing.
Do you know the total assets of the members of Yingtian Chamber of Commerce?
The total amount exceeds 20 million taels.
The annual commercial trade exceeds five million taels. Even if the tax is one for ten, there is still an income of five million taels a year.
The annual tax revenue of Daye's treasury is less than 5 million taels. With these 500,000 taels, doesn't it make up for the losses?
There is no problem in severely punishing empty seals. Until the loss problem is not solved, the worst thing is to make those auditors make more trips.
In the coming year, let the Ministry of Household Affairs compile statistics on losses across the country.
I think that losses do exist and have occurred in all dynasties, and it is not just to write off the accounts to make the accounts look good.
It’s about summing up experience.”
Having said this, Zhu Jun paused, "If the Beiping Mansion handed over 500,000 shi of grain this year and lost 15%, that would be a loss of 75,000 shi of grain.
So how to reduce losses is what officials everywhere should consider, instead of focusing on farmers' three-quarter acres of land.
Small farmers cultivate land and rely on the sky for food. The situation is good and the people are still wealthy.
When the situation is bad, natural disasters or insect infestations occur, the food production will be reduced.
If you increase taxes, will they survive?
Farmers have the lowest ability to withstand stress, but they are also the most tenacious. As long as they have something to eat, they will not cause trouble.
But Dad, you are also from a small farmer, don’t you feel like you have to tighten your belt to get by?"
Zhu Yuanzhang stopped talking.
Zhu Yuze said: "Lao Liu, you mean to increase business tax, but will they agree?"
"Brother, when the imperial court levies additional taxes on the people, do the people agree?" Zhu Jun said: "Businessmen are much more able to withstand pressure than small farmers.
Moreover, Daye's monopolization of industries can only last for a while. If it continues for a long time, it will not be conducive to the development of all walks of life.
The ban will still have to be lifted in the future.
Let’s use an analogy.
Daye currently monopolizes transportation, storage, maritime trade, and other industries, and is now making a lot of profits.
But in ten or twenty years, that won’t necessarily be the case.
Take sea trade as an example. Is it possible to prohibit private trips to sea now?
I heard Shen Wanqian say that there are many pirates and Japanese dogs on the beach, but in fact, these people are just fishermen from Daye pretending to go to the sea!
Gambling is worse than combing. This kind of private business is damaging and destructive to the great cause of maritime trade.
And in the long run, you will definitely become rich.
This extremely wealthy private soldier, who steals food and is very tyrannical, is no longer an ordinary wealthy businessman, he is a local tyrant!
So, dad, I think using commercial tax to make up for the loss of grain tax is not only more than enough, but also rich.
The business tax cannot be constant. For example, the annual income of small, medium and micro businessmen is limited, ranging from dozens to hundreds of taels a year.
If you hit them too hard, they won't be able to make enough profit, and the business will be boring.
Therefore, there must be a standard, for example, when the annual income reaches a certain level, the tax will increase by an amount.
However, the tax increase is not certain and can be offset by other means.
For example, recruiting workers through Prince Wu's Mansion or certain institutions, or making charitable donations to offset part of the tax..."
Zhu Jun talked about this in detail. After hearing this, Zhu Yu nodded repeatedly, "Yes, this method is very good!"
"If you are a big businessman, the tax will be higher. If your annual income exceeds 10,000 taels, then this businessman can provide at least more than 1,000 taels of tax revenue to the big business in a year.
Of course, such big businessmen can be supported, provided that they are patriotic and keep up with the great cause."
Having said this, Zhu Jun smiled and said, "Then there is the phased opening up of monopoly industries and the auctioning of legal operating rights.
Chapter completed!