"Measure the salary of officials, pay for the official use, and give it to the people."——————【Hanshu·Shihuozhi】
During the reign of Emperor Xiaohuan, there were more than 10 million household registrations and a population of more than 56 million in the world. This was a period of great prosperity. Afterwards, disasters continued, such as floods, droughts, famines, Qiang and Hu rebellions, and refugee uprisings, resulting in the country's population declining.
The number of households decreased significantly. So that at the end of the Three Kingdoms, the total population of the country was only more than 7 million. Of course, there were many wealthy and powerful families hiding their populations, and ordinary people hiding in the mountains and forests. However, some of them died due to wars, epidemics, famine and other reasons.
The population is at least tens of millions.
Now the emperor has interrupted the trend of separatist wars early, eliminated military chaos, and established an effective unified system. Without large-scale wars, epidemics, etc., the total population of the country should be a very considerable number. According to the emperor's estimation
, excluding those who escaped into the mountains and forests and were hidden by the powerful, the total population today is at least around 30 million.
In order to increase the population and encourage reclamation, in addition to providing a stable social environment and production environment, we can also regulate population fertility from the perspective of taxation. The Shaofu is responsible for collecting population tax and supplying it to the royal family. Since taking office, Wang Jiang has had some discussions on this matter
After some understanding, when he took office as a new official, he was bound to put forward his own ideas in order to show his ability: "I have reviewed the past emperors, and the tax collections and taxes have increased and decreased. Not one case remains unchanged, but they all changed due to the situation at that time.
."
The amount of the calculated tax was occasionally reduced due to special circumstances, such as the emperor's favor to the counties he passed when he was out on patrol, and he encouraged the refugees to return to their hometowns to cultivate fields. In areas that suffered from war and natural disasters, the minimum amount was usually only 40 yuan, and the maximum amount was only 40 yuan.
Charge one hundred and sixty yuan.
The annual tax calculation is one of the heaviest burdens on the common people, apart from the replacement of taxes. The people have no land and have to pay the population tax, so they go into exile to avoid tax collection. Today's mainstream policy is frivolous corvee.
In this regard, Wang Jiang's idea is: "The calculated tax can be temporarily reduced from 120 qian per year to 80 qian, and the oral tax for children can be changed to 20 qian, and the tax will still start at the age of seven."
Although this will cause the government to lose nearly one billion yuan in annual income, it also means that one billion more yuan will be circulated among the people, and the people will have more surplus and the pressure they bear will be reduced.
Wang Jiang's original intention of proposing this proposal was just to "thin tax", but the emperor thought of adjusting the total population through taxation. In his opinion, not only the current population of about 30 million, but also the more than 5,000 people in the heyday
The population of 10,000 people was not even as large as the population of a province in later generations. Of course, there was a factor in the great development of productivity in later generations, but the vastness of China's land was enough to support hundreds of millions of people in ancient times.
While maintaining the population carrying capacity and the natural environment, there is great potential to increase fertility and increase the population, whether it is restoration and economic development in the interior, or large-scale official-led immigration to the south.
"What the Shaofu said is indeed a matter of old age and planning for the country." The emperor agreed. It had only been a few months since Wang Jiang was promoted from the Taicang Order to the Shaofu. He was more stable than prestige. The emperor saw that his suggestions were quite original and almost touched his heart.
When it comes to tax regulation, it can be seen that his thinking has not become rigid due to his age, so he naturally has to praise him in front of important ministers: "Calculation of tax and oral tax are not just to collect people's money, but also to become the imperial court
A tool for controlling population and supporting the elderly and the young.”
Everyone was a little confused for a moment, and the emperor glanced at Zhao Wen lightly.
Zhao Wen pondered for a moment and suddenly said: "I remember that during the reign of Emperor Xiaowu, two people from households over eighty years old were exempted from the tax payment to show respect for the elderly. During the Emperor Xiaozhang period, the family that gave birth to a child was exempted from the tax payment for three years, and pregnant women were exempted from the tax payment for three years.
My husband calculates the tax every year. According to His Majesty, as the war is about to end and the household registration in the world is declining, the calculation of the tax will be reduced or reduced to encourage childbearing. It will not cost the court a single penny, but it can achieve practical results."
"Now is the time to follow the system of the previous generation. People are pregnant and giving birth, and it costs a lot to show filial piety to the elderly. The court should reduce the cost and give preferential treatment to the old and young." Yang Qi nodded and said with deep approval: "The court governs the world with filial piety.
This is a very benevolent and righteous move.”
In the past, there were many ready-made examples that you can refer to regarding the changes in the amount of tax. After a little consideration, you can use it as your own suggestions. Huang Wan's family has a long history of learning, and he has lived in China for a long time. He read all the classics and quickly said: "It can make men and women fifteen years old."
Those above thirty who are not yet married will be charged five times as much to facilitate their marriage. The three local elders should encourage people to get married and start families early."
"Five times the calculated tax is a bit too much. Let's change it to three times. It's okay to raise the age to twenty years old." The emperor couldn't bear the burden caused by five times the calculated tax, and he couldn't accept being forced to get married at the age of fifteen.
Policy. And if the policy is too strict, it is inevitable that local officials will marry randomly for political achievements. This still needs to be discussed again.
Huang Wan naturally had no objections and nodded in agreement.
"Today, the people in the country are more in the north than in the south, more in the east and less in the west. In the past, in Guandong and Hebei, one county could support millions of people, but the people in Yizhou and Jiaozhou were not as good as those in the major counties in the Central Plains, and their land was not unripe.
, but there are few households. As the saying goes, if you can recruit the excess people from the Central Plains and move them to the south, and let them cultivate them, wouldn't it be convenient?" Shangshu Ling Wu Shuo also thought of something, and also took the initiative to propose his own
Suggestion: "The imperial court may wish to recruit landless people to move to other places. In any case, the tax calculation will be exempted for three years."
There is precedent for Wu Shuo to say this. As early as the period of Emperor Xiaowu, the government recruited people to colonize border areas, such as Shuofang, Wuyuan, and Hexi counties. However, the natural environment in these places is worse than that in the inland, Wu Shuo
But he thought of immigrating to the south, where the climate is warm and suitable. It must be said that he is also a person with his own ideas.
Wang Jiang saw everyone talking about the corresponding poems on the side. They revised and revised the calculated poems, which seemed to fully implement the "Bo Fu". According to their revision method, this year's calculated poems and oral poems were finally collected.
I'm afraid it's not even half of what it was last year. Coupled with the severe cut in Gengfu, the money collected by the Shaofu is less, and the weight of Wang Jiang's words in the court will also be lighter.
In his heart, he felt a little regretful about mentioning Suan Fu, which gave them an excuse to cut down the staff. Although he wanted to redeem himself, Wang Jiang felt miserable in front of all the important ministers.
"What's the difference between this and farming?" Liu He is the chief agricultural officer, and his subordinates are in charge of the farming. Naturally, he has to intervene in matters related to interests, and unintentionally helps Wang Jiang: "Yi Chen
In view of this, the government can collect all the local ownerless land and recruit refugees to cultivate it, or move it to the border areas for farming. The great ministers can set up farmers and cao in various counties and counties, and they can interact with the military settlements to achieve their goals.
."
"In the art of dividing land, the villagers and the government have always divided it into four or six, or half and half. Although they are exempted from corvee service, the villagers still have inconvenience." Wu Shuo felt that he was rejected by Liu He, and looked a little unsightly, so he briefly mentioned
He said in a tone of voice: "Back then, the imperial court recruited people to settle the fields to settle the refugees and replenish the grain reserves. Nowadays, people are still discussing the settlement, and the land rent is equivalent to ten taxes of four or five, which seems to be related to the imperial government's policy of restoring 'thirty taxes to one'"
If the villagers and the common people hear the details of the conflict, they will inevitably feel a lot of injustice in their hearts."
"The ancients said that when people suffer from scarcity, they suffer from inequality." Huang Wan took a deep look at Wu Shuo and rarely agreed with the other person's words: "Now that the war is over, we might as well give land to the villagers and let them be independent, just like ordinary farmers.
.As for military supplies and grain reserves, we can rely on military camps in various places."
"Only one village in Guanzhong can supply millions of dendrobium to Taicang every year. The imperial court has repeatedly conquered the country, and the village has contributed a lot. How can it be wasted now?" This is simply to deprive Da Si Nong of his power. Liu He
Young and energetic, relying on his close relationship with the emperor, he said directly in the palace: "I don't dare to second the proposal!"
"If the land rent between villagers and Li Shu is not equal, trouble will happen sooner or later!" Once the topic involved the existing farmland system, Yang Qi immediately seized the opportunity and quickly reached an agreement with Huang Wan and others: "The land rent can be paid for thirty
If the tax is one, why should it be divided fifty-fifty with the government? It is said that in the past two years, in order to support the war, the land rent of the villagers has been ten tax six or seven. It is difficult to survive, and they have to plant additional tares for food! In the past, the imperial court urgently needed it for the war, so it was not allowed to
Otherwise, it's easy to say. Although the sea is peaceful now, if things continue like this, the villagers will flee and disperse, and the refugees will rise in droves... It is not easy to be quiet, and we must not be careless in this matter. I hope your majesty will give you wisdom."
According to Yang Qi, Huang Wan and others, the villagers and the self-cultivated farmers both paid rent to the government. One was paying a tax of four or five per ten, while the other was about to return to a low rent of one per thirty. Comparing the two, it would naturally attract the attention of the villagers.
The households felt dissatisfied. However, the village households had been bankrupt landless peasants in the past. The court took them in and provided them with land and production tools. They did not have to perform corvee labor in normal times.
In terms of production, villagers can concentrate on building water conservancy projects without violating the farming season. If conditions permit, intensive farming can greatly increase the grain yield per mu. Although it is divided into 50 and 50, what actually falls into their hands is compared with the deprivation of food and clothing when they were in exile.
It's already much better.
Nowadays, the farmland is allocated to villagers and they are scattered as homesteaders. Although it saves the court a layer of management trouble, their ability to withstand risks has become lower. In addition, they have to bear new taxes, etc. It is slightly uncomfortable.
Shen will again embark on the old path of poor management, bankruptcy, and merger by powerful powers...
Huang Wan, Yang Qi and others put forward this opinion mostly out of public motives, hoping to alleviate the heavy exploitation of the villagers, bridge the contradiction between the villagers and the farmers, and nip the problem in the bud. But on the other hand, it is not impossible.
Their own selfishness - even they themselves are not aware of this.
This is exactly the manifestation of the instinct of powerful landlords to annex land.
Wu Shuo was the leader in the palace, and Huang Wan and Yang Qi both supported the reform of Mintun. Dong Cheng secretly tried to figure out the emperor's intentions, and was determined to stand on the emperor's side. He refuted a few words with Liu He, but was temporarily defeated due to his unfavorable words and lack of ability.
Feng. But Wang Jiang only cared about preservation. Like Liu Biao, the servant who had nothing to do with him, he sat where he was and did not dare to make a sound. Xun You and Zhao Wen also stayed silent and left the difficult matter to the emperor.
When the emperor saw this, he couldn't help but sigh in his heart. Although Zhao Wen agreed with him, his character was somewhat conservative, and his subordinates were a group of powerful scholars from Yizhou. They were very constrained in doing things and could not do their job alone. And Dong Cheng
His talents were average, his courage was insufficient, and he had various flaws; as for Xun You... sometimes even the emperor couldn't figure out his innermost thoughts.
"Blind fairness is not the best." The emperor sighed inwardly. At this time, how urgently he needed a person who was both capable and courageous, a pure party member, and with minimal constraints to stand up for him.
The front... how much trouble this can save!
The emperor's tone was calm, and as soon as he said these ordinary words, it seemed that there was some kind of magic power, which quickly calmed down the argument between Liu He and Huang Wan alone. Everyone invariably looked at the emperor sitting in the banquet.
They were all chewing in their hearts what the other person had just said and what he was going to say next: "I heard that a powerful family kept slaves and maids, with thousands of tenants, and their land rent was divided into five and five halves. It is even cooler to exploit.
Normally, I have to repair courtyard walls, clean up ravines, raise silkworms and reel silk, make wine and boil salt for the powerful, all day long all year round."
He quietly looked at the silent crowd and asked: "Why are the tenants not abandoning the powerful and scattering back to the wilds even though they are facing such hardship?"
"Your Majesty, don't you hear that there are so many refugees? Not only are they caused by natural disasters and ruthless officials, but they are also caused by strong and powerful people who arbitrarily exploit the countryside and wantonly exploit them." Yang Qi cupped his hands and said righteously: "First, there are heavy taxes and harsh government.
, the people could not bear the suffering, sold their children and fields, joined the powerful, and then fled again after being exploited. So the refugees gathered, hundreds of thousands in number, and it was difficult for the government to control them, which turned into a disaster! The lessons of the past must be thought of today.
Think about it, how can your majesty think that farming is normal because it is compared to the powerful!"
"If that's the case, then severely punish the powerful!" Dong Cheng finally found room to interrupt. He first shocked everyone with his harsh words, then retreated and softened his tone and said: "As for the Mintun, we might as well modify the land rent.
Those who use official oxen will be changed from five to four to six, and those who do not use official oxen will be changed from four to six to three to seven. The villagers do not have to perform corvee service, so there will be no objections."
In fact, in terms of nature, the landlords used the tenancy system to exploit the tenants and further organized the tenants into their own tribes and soldiers. The court's farming system also used state power to turn the refugees into the country's tenants and support the country's army.
Therefore, there is essentially no difference between the two. On the contrary, the existence of the farming system can restrict landlords from annexing land, recruit refugees, and maintain the unity and strength of the country.
This is about the competition for the means of production and labor force. Perhaps the landlords and powerful landlords are not specifically aware of this, but they have instinctively and spontaneously resisted.
"Just do as Mr. Dong said!" the emperor said immediately.
This was the first time he called Dong Cheng such a name. Dong Cheng looked happy and had not expressed his position yet. Zhao Wen and Liu He also followed suit, and even Liu Biao, who had always been an outsider, nodded in agreement.
"Farming is the foundation of rejuvenation and should not be given up easily." Seeing that Huang Wan and others were still going to say more, the emperor waved his hand and set the tone for the matter: "From now on, the orders to encourage farmers and the farmers in various counties and counties will not be affected.
But when managing a village, it is even more important to promptly organize the people to work in farming, build water conservancy ditches, and cultivate intensively, which is better than farming."
It is difficult for the natural economy of each household to withstand risks, so simply let the village chiefs with mature systems take over the power of grassroots agricultural officials and be responsible for organizing people to build water conservancy projects and work together. When supporting policies such as government loans for cattle seeds, it can not only improve
Yield can also improve the ability to resist risks.
"When recruiting people to colonize the south, we must first follow the system of civilian settlement. If the situation changes in the future, it will not be too late to discuss it again." At this point, the emperor gave Wu Shuo a meaningful look at Wu Shuo who had just provoked the trouble.