"Actually, you are a little hasty in real estate registration and industrial and commercial registration," Chen Zhijue regretted. "Originally, this opportunity to exchange contracts for property transfers could have collected a large amount of stamp duty. It would have been better if we had waited until the new currency was introduced. ”
Stamp duty has the characteristics of "light tax burden, strong tax source, and easy collection". After the Dutch invented it in 1624, it was quickly imitated by governments around the world, and the Senate was naturally no exception.
Stamp tax has been implemented in Hainan, but Hainan's stamp tax uses grain circulation coupons as the currency unit, while Guangdong's silver savings coupons are about to be fully promoted, so they were not immediately transplanted to Guangzhou.
"We have also thought about this, and now we have an annual review system for issuing licenses and real estate deeds." Zheng Shangjie said, "Business licenses are issued once a year, and real estate deeds are issued once every three years -"
Chen Ce said: "You have considered it quite comprehensively."
"It can't be incomplete, after all, it is a source of wealth." Liu Xiang said, "Stamp duty is a good tax. There is a lot of commerce and trade in Guangzhou. It is common to sign contracts and issue coupons. With stamp tax, it is a constant tax source all year round."
"However, among the merchants and common people in this time and space, although there are names such as middlemen, guarantors, and witnesses when signing contracts, not many of them are registered in the yamen. But if you go to the yamen to file a lawsuit, these contract documents can also be considered as evidence. I'm afraid there will be resistance when we implement this tax stamp - after all, filing with the government office was not a mandatory requirement," Zheng Shangjie said.
"It's easy." Chen Ce was confident. "Contract documents without tax stamps cannot be used as evidence in lawsuits. As long as there are a few lawsuits, the people will naturally understand."
They also discussed several taxes that could be levied. Tariff rectification is a matter for the customs. We have to wait for the customs to issue specific policies. Liu Xiang decided to collect indirect taxes from the circulation channels first.
The plan is to set up a wholesale market in the south and east of the city to engage in the wholesale of bulk goods. To adjust the supply, demand and price of goods in the city through the purchase and release of goods in the wholesale market, Liu Xiang does not intend to implement the unified purchase and sales of people's livelihood supplies such as grain and cotton cloth - this is beyond the capabilities of the city government and the Senate.
Although there is no unified purchase and sale, the three bulk commodities of grain, cotton cloth and fuel must be traded in the wholesale market, whether shipped in or out, to ensure that both buyers and sellers pay taxes. The taxes levied are mainly relatively simple stamp duties and business taxes. Merchants can only sell goods after paying taxes and obtaining tax stamps.
"Will the mandatory taxation of bulk commodities transactions in the wholesale market cause businessmen to stop moving forward?" Liu Xiang was a little worried.
"When they were shipped to Guangzhou in the past, they were still exploited by the Ya people. Aren't the money, warehouse rent and exploitation given to the Ya people money?" Chen Ce smiled, "Why did all dynasties establish such a system as the Ya people?" What about things that seem to us to have very small returns and clearly violate the laws of the market? In fact, the traditional government in ancient China was unable to manage complex commercial activities and could not obtain benefits from them, so it had to obtain a small amount of income by transferring benefits to individuals. You can think of Yaren as a kind of government tax collector. A similar example is the salt monopoly system in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Its original intention is exactly the same: to obtain financial resources in the simplest way and simplify management. As for the results, we all know It is clear that the country’s huge financial resources are losing money every year under the disguised tax farming system.”
"This is the same as asking beggars to take on security tasks..."
"Yes," Chen Ce said, "What should we do if the traditional government cannot afford many essential public services? Then transfer some public power in exchange for services. As for the level of services, the actual cost of social maintenance expenditures is The government doesn't worry about how old it is. The cost is borne by the people anyway - so we are ahead of the world in terms of the concept of socializing public services." He said with interest, "We have always said that Ming Dynasty has less commercial taxes. . Is it really that little? You don’t need to go into the investigation and just look at the historical records to know that the burden on businessmen is not light - where did the money go? Most of the expenses are consumed in "hidden rules". And our tax system is to treat these "hidden rules" Make clear regulations to ensure that taxation is legally enforceable and reduce this gray area."
"Zhang Juzheng had the same idea as you when he came up with the 'One Whip Method'." Zheng Shangjie suddenly said, "I'm worried..."
Chen Ce smiled: "Zhang Juzheng's whipping method ultimately failed, not because there was a problem with his tax law, but because the Ming government system was backward. Except for some weird countries, there is basically no taxation under the modern social system. Something went terribly wrong.”
"...In addition, one or two large-scale non-staple food wholesale markets should be set up outside the city to allow vendors, catering businesses and farmers to conduct direct transactions." Zheng Shangjie gestured on the map, "Firstly, we can collect taxes on the spot, and secondly, It can effectively adjust the prices of non-staple food on the market - the phenomenon of bullying and domination in the wholesale of non-staple food is too serious now."
The Guandi Temple troops violently monopolized the wholesale channels of vegetables, eggs, and aquatic products outside the city in various gates. Force farmers and vendors to trade from them. Such a monopoly not only erodes tax sources, but also increases citizens’ living burdens. Breaking the monopoly has direct benefits in winning public support and expanding income.
The municipal government does not directly intervene in the trade of the wholesale market. It only exists as a market manager, collecting taxes and service fees such as rent.
However, the Senate must have agents in the market so that it can affect the operation of the market. Various buying and selling behaviors that manipulate the market must also be operated by a commercial entity. After discussion, the city government decided to let Dachang Rice Store handle the grain trade, Wanyou handle the non-staple foodstuffs, and let the cooperative handle bulk daily necessities, while also selling salt and tobacco on a consignment basis.
"With the wholesale market, we basically control the circulation channels of bulk commodities." Zheng Shangjie said, "The next step is to see the results."
Zhang Yu's father is very happy recently. Australians have entered the city. His business is booming thanks to the brand of Great World Suppliers. Recently, he received a notice from his director, asking him to attend as a representative of "small and micro industrial and commercial households" "The First Congress of the Guangzhou Federation of Industry and Commerce".
Although Zhang Yu's father has not read many books, but with Zhang Yu as his son who is "proficient in Macao studies", the meaning of these lines on the red invitation is much clearer than ordinary people.
To be honest, he was somewhat surprised that the Australians wanted to invite him to a meeting - not only was he surprised, but Zhang Yu was also surprised. Because his walnut pastry shop, despite its recent boom in business, has always been a mom-and-pop shop. It has not been possible in recent decades to be able to use several assistants and apprentices like it is now.
Small shops of this size are everywhere in Guangzhou. They are opening and closing all the time. Although it is great to be able to open for three generations, it is insignificant in Guangzhou's business district. The city government classifies them as "small and micro industrial and commercial households," which is true.
Most of the businessmen who received the invitations in Guangzhou had sad faces - since ancient times, whether the government "invited" businessmen to banquets or meetings, the word "money" has always been the same.
Whenever there is a need for troops, a famine, or a major construction project... the government will definitely think of the merchants and ask them to "donate and lose willingly." Therefore, wealthy businessmen such as Gao Ji will have a headache when they hear that they have to "attend meetings and banquets."
In the past, Zhang Yu's family was not qualified to "take advantage of the prosperity". Even if a small and micro family like them sold out all the money, they would not be able to come up with thirty or fifty taels of silver. The government is naturally not interested in spending any effort on them: the shrimps are left for the small fishes to eat.
Now that such an invitation suddenly came, what Zhang Yu's father thought about was that his family was finally prosperous. In the past, only wealthy businessmen who he could not even imagine were eligible to be invited to "banquets" by the government, but now it was his turn. !
Zhang Yu's thoughts were more complicated than those of his father. Although he didn't know the purpose of inviting his family to the meeting, he had read many "Australian magazines" and was considered an "Australian scholar". From the articles in those magazines, he probably guessed that the Australians wanted to unite businessmen - just like in Lingao.
Regardless of the Australian magazines or newspapers he read, there were reports on the activities of Lingao and various chambers of commerce in the Australian-dominated areas, and the contents of the reports were varied. But he could still understand the core content.
The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry is actually similar to the various guilds and guilds in Guangzhou, except that it is a "guild" for all industrial and commercial people and is no longer divided according to industry or region. Any orders the Australians have are communicated and implemented through the Chamber of Commerce and Industry; similarly, any requests from businessmen and workshop owners are also submitted through the Chamber of Commerce and Industry. There are also some activities held on weekdays - although he doesn't see the meaning of these "activities" - such as planting trees together.
At first glance, it seems to be no different from local guilds and guilds, but judging from reports, the Australian government seems to be more cooperative. If the industrial and commercial associations have any problems, they can go to the government quickly and get good answers quickly. The solution is convenient and fast, and there is no need to spend all kinds of miscellaneous "fees" and "benefits". Zhang Yu didn't quite believe this at first. But since his family "made business" with the big world, it is true that he has never spent any "benefits" in the process of dealing with the big world. You should know that, let alone doing business with Chaju, even if you are delivering goods to a wealthy family, there will still be expenses such as "rebate money" and "snack money" as usual. What's more, since the arrival of the Australians, although the Australian police passed by the street in front of his shop every day, they have never extorted a penny from any shop on this street. This is a huge rarity! No wonder the owner of the tofu shop opposite said: The sun is coming out from the west. (To be continued.).
