Kingdom of Heaven and Han

Chapter 187 Official and Private

Coming out of the supply and marketing cooperative shopping mall, several prefects praised repeatedly.A few even thought in their hearts that they would open one themselves when they go back.At this time, it is rare for the government to not intervene in any profitable business.Even if the government-run business is not easy, it will be contracted out to individuals at a price.

Shops in the Song Dynasty were owned by the government, and it was very common to contract them to individuals.There is a rush to buy, the government sets a price, and whichever contracted must guarantee to pay the government so much money every year.If you earn more, you own it, and if you earn less, you have to make up for it with family wealth.Later, another kind of Fang real name vote appeared.That is, the government does not set a price, and the people bid for it.Each wrote the price, put it together, and finally the highest bidder won.This method is later called bidding.In order to win, people often offer abnormal prices.

No matter which method is used, the government will make money without losing money.No matter what the business is like, the government's share of the money is indispensable.And whether it is a rush to buy or a real-name vote, there must be a low bet.If the money is not paid, the government will confiscate the collateral.

Wang Xiaolie hardly adopts this form here.If the scale is small and it is inconvenient for the government to operate, the government will not intervene.Encouraging development is only in the form of providing preferential treatment, recruiting some relevant people, and forming a society.The society is composed of folks, and after it is established, it is supervised by the government.The government collects taxes and does not directly intervene.Those who make money and join the cooperative will share the money, and they will bear the loss themselves.In the words of later generations, it is the system of the collective.

Society economy was very popular in Tang and Song Dynasties.Some people invest and operate together, and some people invest and distribute dividends according to shares. There are various forms.This economic form was rare in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, but the Chinese are not familiar with it.Some of the large clubs are similar to the joint-stock companies of later generations, and some even employ special managers.Some supervisors and shopkeepers are real operators, and the boss only cares about the distribution of money.

For large-scale ones, if the government decides to participate, it will be funded by the government, officials will be sent to watch, and people will be hired to operate it.To some extent, this is similar to the state-owned industry and commerce of later generations.However, there is no establishment here except for officials, and it is not an iron rice bowl.Except that it is owned by the government, the rest are not much different from ordinary enterprises.And according to the need, sometimes to complete political tasks.

In the Song Dynasty at this time, it is not surprising that some large-scale industries and businesses were owned by the government.In the former city of Kaifeng, there were a large number of workers, even more than [-], in the manufacture of military weapons, textiles and clothing.

For the ancient Chinese, there was no problem of ownership.From the government's point of view, as long as it makes money, it is only natural for the government to control it.As long as it is profitable, it is better for the government to make money than for businessmen to make money.

Seeing the good business of the supply and marketing cooperative, several prefects naturally pondered in their hearts.Now is the time to spend money to raise soldiers. As long as there is money to make, of course we cannot let it go.It's just that the territory is small, unlike Wang Xiaolie who occupies several states.

After walking a few steps, I suddenly saw several shops next to me.Two noodle restaurants and three taverns are not far apart.

Xi Yi said to Chen Yuyi: "These restaurants look quite big, but they belong to Xiangyang Mansion?"

Chen Yuyi said: "What Zhizhou said is correct. Two of them belong to the government office, and the other three belong to the Department of Zhizhi."

Chen Gui said, "What's the difference?"

Chen Yuyi said: "Wang's habit of observation is that he wants to study all industries carefully. Even drinking and eating is the same. There are two noodle restaurants inside, one sells sliced ​​noodles and the other sells ramen noodles. There are special people who study these and find out how to make them delicious. These two noodle restaurants are opened by them, and the business is booming. In Xiangyang, no one has learned from their methods, so they can’t open it. The big tavern next to it is also Under Zhizhisi, it specializes in selling big pot dishes. It is a large pot that cooks many dishes and sells them in portions. In Zhizhisi, the army originally cooks like this. There are special people who study it, how can others do it? Yes? Because the business is good. The other two taverns, one sells ordinary side dishes, and the other is learning how to cook big pot dishes, opened in Xiangyang Prefecture."

Everyone found it strange that the business of the Manufacturing Department and the government office were separated. I don't know what is so important.Ordinarily speaking, isn't Xiangyang government's money the same as Zhizhisi's money?Why is it necessary to distinguish clearly?

The financial characteristic of the Song Dynasty was the high degree of centralization of financial power.In principle, except for a small amount of money and food, all the money and food in the world always belong to the court.In the past, it was managed by the Third Division, but later it was assigned to the Ministry of Household Affairs.In addition to official salaries, almost all the money and food in local prefectures and counties belonged to the imperial court.Every year, a large amount of food is transported to the capital, and the rest that is not transported is called money-saving food, and it also belongs to the imperial court in name.

There are very few local property rights.There is also minister money at the state level, which is used for official expenses.At the county level, there is no money for ministers. Usually, county officials want to eat something good and entertain guests, and they often order the officials below to make arrangements.Officials pay their own money to buy fish and meat.

There is a saying that if three lives are unlucky, the county magistrate will be attached to Guo; if three lives are evil, it will be attached to the provincial capital of Guo;Some people say that this is about the situation in ancient China.Actually no, this was the case in the Qing Dynasty, not in other dynasties.Ancient China has been going on for thousands of years, and the political system has been changed countless times, and many things cannot be summed up in one ancient sentence.

In the Song Dynasty, because the prefecture had envoy money, the county magistrate and county lieutenant in Fukuo County could also use it, and the treatment was better than other counties.

Since the state and county have little financial power, Wang Xiaolie here allows the state and county to collect taxes on the industry and commerce of the system.In addition, states and counties are allowed to start their own industrial businesses.Of course, the tax is the same, but the profits belong to the local government.

Except for political reasons, the official business is to make money.It can’t be said that you run a shop or a factory and lose money instead. How can you do that?What must be lost must be due to political reasons, and additional funds are allocated, which is different from ordinary industry and commerce.

Wang Xiaolie does not treat officials harshly, and of course he does not treat local officials harshly.So they are allowed to do business, even in the county, they are also allowed to have envoy money.The more money you earn, the more you can share dividends.Unless there is a special reason for this money, the production department will not collect it.

After hearing Chen Yuyi's explanation, everyone was surprised.Wang Xiaolie does not centralize power financially, where does the money for raising soldiers come from?
In fact, the industrial and commercial businesses run by local governments are leftovers that the manufacturing department does not want.Local governments do not do it, but businessmen do.If you open the same shop as Zazhisi and crowd out Zajisi's business, then there is nothing to say.Manufacturing companies with more superior resources can't do it in prefectures and counties. What excuses are there?It should be closed because of incompetence.

Of course the prefects would not enter such a small shop.They ate these few days, except in the yamen, and the rest went to the largest restaurant, the restaurant by the river.After asking Chen Yuyi, I found out that there are no noodle restaurants here.A few were curious, so they ordered a few copies to be delivered to the restaurant.

Walking in the city of Xiangyang, the few people looked more and more strange.Business is thriving here, but not in the same pattern as elsewhere.Although there are a large number of government-run industries and businesses, private people are not prohibited from doing so.Some people are clever, and they have learned the techniques of government-operated shops to a high degree, and the business is booming.The government just collects taxes and doesn't hit them.

In Wang Xiaolie's words, except for the categories that the government specializes in, such as bans, the rest of the people are not prohibited from entering.However, the official competition is that the officials in charge have no skills and have nothing to say.

(End of this chapter)