Socioeconomic basis? ? ?
Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling were completely confused now.
Although they didn't understand the previous uneven distribution of wealth and what it had to do with the chaos in the world, they could at least understand the meaning of these six words.
But... the socio-economic foundation?
They really don’t know what this means!
"The foundation of social economy is a very profound subject. With your level of knowledge, you probably won't be able to understand it even if I explain it too much. Let me use some simple metaphors to explain it to you."
Xu Yi paused for a moment, and then continued after the two of them came to their senses.
"As far as I know, the current population in the world is about 40 million. Due to the impact of wars in recent years, the number may have declined, but the gap should not be huge."
(PS: I checked the information and revised it based on the information from book friends. During the Sui Dynasty, the population was nine million households, and in the early Tang Dynasty, it was three million households. Based on an average of four to five people per household, the number of people was about four. Around 10 million. There may be cases of underreporting, but there shouldn’t be much difference in quantity.
Although chaos has arisen in the world now, it is still only a small-scale turmoil, and the major families have not really come to an end. According to the original situation, it will take more than ten years to decide the outcome, and the current population should still be small. There are 40 million people. )
"With a population of 40 million, excluding the elderly and children who are unable to work, the remaining population is approximately between 30 million and 35 million."
(PS: The average lifespan in ancient times was generally low. Due to medical, food and other reasons, the average lifespan was only between ten and thirty years old. This shows that the proportion of elderly people in this era was very small. Seventy or eighty percent of young adults The labor force figures may seem outrageous, but they are actually reasonable.)
"Let's take the maximum value, let's say it has a population of 35 million!"
"In other words, in our world today, there are about 35 million people who can participate in the labor force. Can you understand this?"
Xu Yi looked at Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling, both of whom nodded.
Although Xu Yi said that this knowledge was relatively "novel" and seemed different from the knowledge they heard from scholars, it was very simple and easy to understand.
With the most direct data, they told them the current population size.
"It turns out that there are 40 million people in our world now. It's really unimaginable. How many people are there?"
Kou Zhong sighed and said.
Yangzhou City can be regarded as one of the largest cities in the world, but the population of the entire city is only a few hundred thousand.
Forty million people?
It would take hundreds of Yangzhou cities to fit it!
Xu Yi continued.
"We now know that there are 35 million people in the world, which is equivalent to a labor force of 35 million, so let's take a deeper look at the concept of labor force."
"Let's use an analogy. A normal labor force can create a labor value of one hundred yuan through hard work every day."
"Then there are three hundred and sixty-five days in a year...let's remove all kinds of breaks, holidays, etc., and let's count it as three hundred days!"
"Three hundred days, one hundred coins a day, three hundred days is thirty thousand coins, which is thirty guan of money or thirty taels of silver."
(PS: The ancient silver exchange ratio fluctuated greatly. For the sake of statistical convenience, it is uniformly calculated as one thousand yuan to one tael of silver.)
"One person is worth thirty taels of silver per year, and thirty-five million people, if you add them all up, that's one hundred thousand taels of silver!"
"These 100,000 taels of silver can be exchanged for all kinds of food, fruits and vegetables, clothes, houses, land, daily necessities and other materials at equivalent prices."
"And these one hundred million taels of silver are equivalent to the world's gross national product this year, or the socio-economic foundation. Can you understand this?"
Xu Yi stopped again and looked at the two of them.
At this moment, there was obviously some difference between the two of them. The expression on Xu Ziling's face was thoughtful, as if he had thought of something.
Kou Zhong's expression was a little dazed, his eyes widened.
"One hundred thousand taels of silver? Oh my God! How much is this?!"
He stretched his fingers to count, but he couldn't figure out the number.
There is no way, this number is just too huge for him!
He and Xu Ziling had been gangsters for so many years, and all the money they had secretly accumulated together was not even enough for ten taels.
One hundred thousand taels?
That was a number that he could never imagine for eternity.
"Boss Xu, I don't understand. If the world is really so rich, why is it still in chaos and the people are in dire straits?"
Xu Ziling frowned and asked in confusion.
Although he didn't understand so many great principles and profound knowledge, he also knew that the most fundamental reason why the people rebelled, besides being coerced and helpless, was that they were about to die!
Including him and Kou Zhong.
If they could survive, how could they consider joining the rebellion as their goal?
It’s not because their current life is so miserable!
Once you fail to achieve your daily goals, you may be beaten to death by Boss Yan in any minute.
In order to avoid being beaten by Boss Yan and to get ahead, they wanted to become rebels.
Don't they know that becoming a rebel means risking your life?
Of course they know, but they have no other choice.
But if, as Xu Yi said, the entire world's annual GDP can reach one hundred million taels of silver, and the world is so wealthy, then why do they have to work so hard?
"Theoretically, the world's gross national product can indeed reach one hundred million taels, but in fact, it cannot reach this number due to wars, natural disasters, individual hard work, and other reasons."
"Of course, overall, it is still possible to achieve a gross national product of 30,000,000 taels or even 40,000,000 taels per year."
Xu Yi explained.
"Forty million taels of silver...that's a lot!"
Xu Ziling thought for a while and felt that this number was still very large. If divided evenly, 40 million people could get ten taels of silver each year.
The two of them have accumulated so many years, and they still don’t have ten taels of silver!
With the current consumption level in this world, for a whole year, a person can live very well if he only has five taels of silver for food, clothing, housing and transportation!
He didn't understand why so many people were starving to death due to famine.
Xu Yi took a deep look at him and said.
"This has to go back to the previous issue - the issue of wealth distribution."
After a pause, he did not answer directly, but asked in the form of a question.
"Now that you know that the world's gross national product is about 30 million taels to 40 million taels of silver every year, let me ask you, where do you think all this money goes?"
where it goes?
Both Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling began to think along Xu Yi's question.
After a while, Kou Zhong was the first to answer.
"It should have been taken away by the imperial court! Those people in the government collect taxes every day! Collect taxes! The people have no money!"
His tone was full of complaints, and he obviously still had a lot of resentment towards the court.
Xu Yi shook his head and said.
"Although the imperial court took part of the tax revenue, it actually didn't take much. As far as I know, the tax revenue collected by the imperial court in a year is only about 10 million taels of silver."
(PS: After checking the information, I couldn’t find specific figures. I can only make a rough estimate based on the data of other dynasties. If anyone knowledgeable can correct me, thank you!)
"Even if free labor from corvee labor is included, this number will most likely not exceed 30 million taels of silver."
"We calculated it based on 30 million taels of silver, and the imperial court only got less than one-tenth."
"And more importantly, the money taken by the imperial court is for the purpose of governing the world, such as protecting the country, allocating funds for various natural and man-made disasters, managing public order, etc. Most of them are returned to the people of the world."
Although the imperial court collects taxes, this tax collection is not for their enjoyment, but to serve the people of the world.
As the saying goes, take it from the people and use it for the people.
Of course, issues such as manipulation, corruption, etc. are not within the scope of this consideration.
From a national level, all this money is used to govern the country, and even the emperor himself is not allowed to use it privately!
If the emperor wanted to use it, he could only use his own private treasury.
For example, our famous Ming Dynasty Emperor Jiajing was very good at getting the money that originally belonged to the country into his own private treasury for his own enjoyment.
"If it's not the imperial court, then it's the family?"
Xu Ziling spoke, but as soon as he finished speaking, he frowned again.
"But I don't understand how they got such a huge fortune?"
The court also took money from the people in the name of taxation. How did these aristocratic families get the money into their own hands?
"You can see this, Xiaoling, you are very good!"
Xu Yi looked at Xu Ziling with admiration and then said.
"Normally, it is indeed difficult for these aristocratic families to obtain a large amount of wealth, but if you carefully recall the nature of the labor force I mentioned, you will understand the root of this problem."
“The nature of labor?”
Kou Zhong looked a little confused.
Xu Ziling hesitated for a while and replied.
"people?"
"That's right! They're people!"
Xu Yi nodded.
"You should know that people in the aristocratic class do not need to pay taxes, right?"
"Know."
Both Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling nodded.
This is a policy specially introduced by the imperial court in order to reward or appease those wealthy families.
Ordinary people all over the world hope that they can become a member of the nobles.
Including them.
If they want to join the army and get ahead, don't they just want to become members of the privileged aristocracy?
"Then do you know how many peasants are employed by nobles or aristocratic families in the entire world?"
"Um?"
Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling were both stunned.
This has indeed touched upon their knowledge blind spots.
Not to mention them, even the imperial courts of all dynasties probably don’t know the specific figures.
"Conservative estimates suggest that the number will not be less than five million!"
Xu Yi gave an answer.
This is the final number he gave based on comparing the data from his two previous worlds and combining them.
In this agricultural society, at least 60 to 70% of the world's labor force are farmers.
Calculated based on a labor force of 35 million, that is more than 20 million farmers.
Xu Yi compiled the data in the last two worlds and found that the peasants who did not have to pay any taxes accounted for almost a quarter of the total number of peasants.
Of course, this is the result of the aggregation of data from the entire world. If there are only some powerful families, there will definitely not be that many. About one-tenth is the limit.
Xu Yi now also calculates it based on a quarter ratio.
But according to his thoughts, in this world, this ratio should be larger than he imagined.
In the last two worlds, before the end of the dynasty, the phenomenon of land annexation by the nobles and nobles was not that serious.
And although this world has only experienced two generations of emperors, the Sui Dynasty has almost reached the end of the dynasty, and the phenomenon of land annexation is particularly serious!
You said that these aristocratic families, rural gentlemen and nobles own half of the labor force, Xu Yi believed it.
"The labor force represents economic output. Controlling this labor force by these aristocratic families is equivalent to controlling the economic wealth they can produce!"
"Five million labor force, converted into wealth, they can harvest up to 60 million taels of silver every year! This is twice as high as the imperial court's tax!"
Sixty million taels of silver!
As soon as Xu Yi's figure came out, Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling were immediately shocked.
"Sixty million taels of silver!"
"This is sixty million taels of silver!"
Kou Zhong murmured, his whole body was a little bit demonic.
Xu Yi looked indifferent and said.
"Unlike the 30 million taels of silver from the imperial court, these 60 million taels of silver will go into the pockets of those wealthy families, and none of it will flow into the mouths of the common people."
"Because they don't have to pay a penny in tax at all!"
"To the imperial court, they are complete blood-sucking insects!"
"Now you understand why the court wants to deal with them, right?"
"Understood."
Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling nodded.
No individual can tolerate a group that doesn't pay taxes, doesn't contribute to the world, and occupies a large portion of the labor force.
They are the blood suckers of the country! Worms!
The most important thing is that it is because they have taken over all the wealth in the world that ordinary people like them live such a miserable life.
"These noble families really deserve to be killed!"
Xu Ziling, who had a plain personality, couldn't help but say murderously.
When Xu Yi saw this, his face remained calm, but he nodded secretly in his heart.
The first phase of training is basically completed.
Next, is the second stage.
"The family members are indeed the largest blood-sucking worms in the world, but besides them, there is another group, which is also a group of blood-sucking worms!"
"What group?"
"Buddhism!"
(End of chapter)
