1627 Rise of the South China Sea

Chapter 96 Currency ([-])

For the local laborers who already had nothing, any gift from the Transcendental Congregation is an additional gain, and there is no psychological resistance at all.The first step is to implement a paper money-based financial settlement system internally, which Schneider believes is the first step on the right path.As for the trade with the outside world, Chuan Group can safely use precious metals for settlement, without worrying that the amount of money will affect the total currency circulation in Victory Port.

Schneider has even further ideas for foreign trade. He hopes to also implement the compulsory use of local currency in trade. That is, when merchants from outside come to Victory Port to trade, they must first convert the precious metal currency they hold into the cross-border currency. Only the banknotes issued by the group can be traded. After the transaction, the merchants can also exchange the banknotes they hold into precious metal currency and take them away.Such a seemingly redundant process has important special significance in finance.One is to increase the local amount of precious metals. After all, for the convenience of frequent businessmen, they will not exchange all the banknotes they hold into gold and silver and take them away; The market credit of its own currency, the third is that it can firmly control the pricing power of commodities in its own hands, and avoid being adversely affected by changes in its own precious metal currency holdings.

Schneider is inconclusive about when and to what extent this paper currency will be implemented.Although from a long-term perspective, the issuance of banknotes is definitely in line with the historical development trend, considering the historical situation at that time, banknotes can at most flow in the internal settlement system, but cannot be exported as a common currency - even if foreign of the merchants agree with the credit of the Chuan Group's banknotes, and it can only have actual purchasing power on the territory controlled by the Chuan Group.In the financial system designed by Schneider, this kind of voucher-type banknotes is only a tool for the Preparatory Committee to control and adjust the finance in the jurisdiction at the macro level, rather than pure currency in circulation.When the power of the Chuan Group develops to a certain scale, the banking institution as the chief economic officer will definitely have to introduce a more complete currency system to replace the relatively primitive banknotes used in the early days of Chuan.

After obtaining the approval of the Preparatory Committee, Schneider, who was appointed as the financial director, proposed to make a batch of vouchers in advance, because for practical reasons, it is impossible to bring a complete set of modern printing equipment to cross, even if it can be carried over, Subsequent supply of specialty paper and ink is also an issue.Anyway, the Preparatory Committee has designed several kinds of banknotes before this, and it is not particularly troublesome to pick one out of them and make them into real ones.Of course, none of the paper, ink and printing technology can get the grades for banknotes, and the Preparatory Committee did not plan to print such fine things.

Finally, the organizing committee contacted a small printing factory and printed a large number of circulation coupons in nine denominations in three currency values: yuan, jiao, and sub-currency in the name of tabletop game props.The design currency value of this kind of circulation coupon is one yuan equal to one silver tael, and the currency value of jiao and fen is clearly equivalent to one hundred copper coins and ten copper coins.The three denominations of yuan are one yuan, five yuan and ten yuan, while the denominations of one, two and five yuan are used for jiao and fen.As for the specific denomination of currency printed, only a few members of the Executive Committee know, but according to personnel in the financial department, after they repeatedly calculated the economic level of the Ming Dynasty, this batch of printed circulation notes is enough to maintain 10 yuan. Human-scale money market demand, and such a quantity is completely sufficient in the early stage of crossing.Of course, these circulating coupons will not be put into the market all at once, and the specific amount and batch of release will need to be adjusted by relevant departments according to the actual situation after crossing.

Regarding the entire financial system design plan, the Executive Committee has basically reached a conclusion before the transition, and the discussion after the transition is mainly about grasping the timing of implementation.As head of the financial sector, Schneider played the role of a policymaker.When the number of laborers under his rule exceeded [-], and foreign trade had been carried out smoothly, Schneider believed that the time had come to launch a primary financial system, and the first users would be labor members of the Crossroads and the two communes.

It is relatively easy to rank the wages of workers, because these workers are not currently paid any monetary compensation, and even a very low standard will not cause any dissatisfaction.Of course, the specific salary will still be combined with the current labor hierarchy, and different pay standards will be formulated according to different labor ranks and jobs.

The real problem is grading the salaries of the Transcendents. This is undoubtedly a huge test for those who set the standards. If you are not careful, you may be sprayed with blood by all kinds of dissatisfied voices.From the very beginning, the Chuan Group has been under the propaganda banner of "there is no distinction between high and low, but only the division of labor", but as long as any adult with normal mind understands, this is just a basic attitude of the Executive Committee. The fact is It is impossible to achieve equal pay for equal work, let alone complete equality.No matter how beautifully you say it, there are still differences between leaders and being led within the Transcendent Congregation. There are also differences in the degree of hard work and the level of technical content. If everyone's salaries are set at the same level, That is the greatest injustice.

In the end, under the guidance of Tao Donglai, the Ministry of Finance led by Schneider divided the salary of the public into two parts, one is the basic salary, and the other is the post allowance.The basic salary part adopts the same standard for all employees, as long as the employees who participate in the work will have the same amount of guaranteed basic income every month.The post allowance is an additional part of the income for different positions, such as the soldiers of the military and police department on duty at the Yulinjiao post, the technicians working in the harsh environment of the metallurgical workshop, the geological survey personnel who go deep into the inland mountainous areas to explore for mineral deposits, Posts with certain risks like this can enjoy post allowances.In addition, some positions with strong technical skills or heavy responsibilities will also receive post allowances jointly issued by the Executive Committee and the Ministry of Finance.

In view of the fact that the various industries of the Crossroad Group are still being rolled out gradually, the positions enjoying allowances will be reviewed every other month, so that those newly emerging positions can also be added to the salary system in a timely manner.

Under Tao Donglai's initiative, all members of the Executive Committee gave up the right to receive post allowances to show the selflessness of those in power.After the introduction of this measure, it has won a lot of praise in the forum, and the prestige index of the Executive Committee has risen a lot.Of course, there are also very few discordant voices, which are nothing more than accusing the executive committee of having a performance in this move. After all, everyone knows that it doesn't matter how much Chuanzhong can get paid. Everyone gets [-] original shares before Chuanxiong. It is the real income earner. The dividends that can be obtained each year in the future are not sure how many times the salary. Of course, there is no need to care about the limited post allowance.

For this kind of dissatisfied guy who can only make a few words on the forum and affect the internal unity, Meng He mercilessly deletes the post, fully demonstrating what is meant by "you have the freedom of speech, and I have the right to deal with you. freedom of".

As the first batch of foreign businessmen who came to Victory Port to conduct trade with Chuan Group, and a partner who has always maintained a good relationship with Chuan Group, Luo Shengdong is honored to be the test object of the newly released circulation coupons.But Rao is Luo Shengdong's smart mind, after listening to Schneider's hysterical explanation, he still didn't understand why Chuanzhong created such a troublesome thing: "Mr. Shi, wouldn't it be more convenient to trade with you directly with silver taels? Why do you need to throw a hand with this thing?"

Schneider nodded and said: "Our transaction volume is small now, but for a business of about a hundred or so taels, it is of course more convenient to give cash directly. But what if the business expands in the future? Do you want [-] taels of silver to come here? This circulation bill can solve the problem. You only need to exchange the silver tael for circulation bills. The unused silver is equivalent to depositing with us. You can use the circulation bill to withdraw the silver at any time. You can use it to pay for the goods, isn't it more convenient than shipping the money around?"

Luo Shengdong frowned and said, "It sounds reasonable, but I always feel a little inappropriate..."

"That's because you don't feel comfortable keeping the money with us." Schneider directly pierced Luo Shengdong's mind: "You have little money now, just let it go at home, and when you have more money in the future, you can leave it all at home. Can you rest assured? Even if you dig a big hole under the bed and bury all the money in the soil, I think you will probably still have the money in your mind when you go out. It’s different with us, do you think Think, who in the entire South China Sea can snatch something from us?"

Luo Shengdong replied hesitantly: "Then next... change it first?"

"You don't have to hesitate. If you don't use the circulation coupons we issued in the future, you won't be able to buy things in Victory Port." Schneider took out a stack of circulation coupons from his pocket, ordered ten ten-yuan denominations and handed them to Luo Shengdong: " Take it, give me 100 taels of silver later, and then go to the warehouse at the gate of the base and use this circulation coupon to buy salt, which is the same as last time, two thousand catties, and the goods have been prepared for you."

When Luo Shengdong heard about the salt, he put aside his concerns about the circulation coupons: "Mr. Shi, can you sell more salt? I would like to exchange silver for 50 taels of circulation coupons."

Seeing that his play-by-play strategy was really working, Schneider happily took out the circulation ticket again: "That's right, you see how convenient it is, otherwise you would have to carry ten pounds of silver to the warehouse to pick up the goods... …”

(End of this chapter)