Compared with Zhu Jingyuan's previous life, the current housing prices in Ming Dynasty can definitely be said to be quite "cheap".
But this does not mean that most Ming people, especially ordinary workers, own their own houses.
Seven years ago, the second industrial revolution had not yet begun, and the world war was still ongoing.
The living standards of ordinary people at that time were extremely poor, and the income of ordinary workers could barely fill their stomachs.
Except for mid-level managers and officials, individuals are basically unable to afford a house.
Usually a family or a group of people rent one or two small rooms together.
In many cases, two groups of people live in one apartment, one working the night shift and the other working the day shift, and they take turns sleeping at staggered times.
Zhu Jingyuan also knew that in the history of his previous life, the situation in various countries in Europe and the West during the first industrial revolution was almost the same, and it might even be worse.
On the contrary, the living conditions of ordinary people during the first industrial revolution in their colonies and emerging countries in the New World like the United States were better.
The reason is actually very simple. The New World, which has not been deeply developed, has abundant natural resources.
If you are not a worker, you can go to the western territories to open up wasteland, you can go hunting and fishing in the mountains and rivers, and you can do whatever you want without worrying about food and drink.
The land in the Old World has been plowed countless times, and the rural land has been completely concentrated.
If ordinary people don't work hard in factories to make money, they will really starve to death on the street.
The Ming Dynasty in this world, due to its vast territory and numerous overseas colonies, is actually in better shape than Britain in the First Industrial Revolution era in another world.
After the end of the World War, Ming's colonies expanded on a large scale again.
The second industrial revolution spread rapidly, and production capacity and efficiency soared rapidly.
Under the combined influence of these two reasons, the living standards of ordinary people in Ming Dynasty have improved rapidly in the past few years.
The income of ordinary workers has increased three to five times compared to seven years ago, and the income of many skilled workers has reached the level of middle managers.
After years of accumulation, ordinary workers began to buy houses independently.
Today's housing market prices have naturally begun to rise.
Zhu Jingyuan now wants to control this trend.
The territory of the Ming Dynasty was extremely vast, the cultivated land area was unusually abundant, and there were no strict restrictions on land use.
So theoretically speaking, even if you don't control the house price at all, it will never rise to the same level as in your previous life.
But even if it turns into the state of Zhu Jingyuan in his previous life in the United States, it will not be a good outcome.
Housing prices in the United States, except for apartments in the city centers of big cities, can be considered low compared to mainland China.
Abandoned houses in many places can even be transferred directly for almost no money.
But the reason for this result is that in addition to the lack of land in the United States and the current Ming Dynasty, there is also the double suppression of high property taxes and property fees.
If you live in a house in the United States for decades, the property taxes will be enough to buy another house, and the property fees will also be enough to buy another house.
If property taxes and property fees are in arrears, the house may be forcibly seized and auctioned.
As long as the auction price exceeds the arrears of property taxes and property fees, it may be sold directly, because after the tax agency and property management company get the taxes and fees they deserve, what is left belongs to the homeowner.
If you default on property fees, you will be auctioned off. This is essentially the same as being auctioned off by a bank if you default on your mortgage.
So the price of buying a house can be regarded as a down payment in some form.
Zhu Jingyuan neither allows the price of the house itself to soar to the sky, nor does he want to suppress the price of houses through high property taxes that increase the cost of use.
That can only be achieved through government-run manufacturers cooperating with administrative measures.
The typical medium that connects government-owned manufacturers and yamen is the various types of tickets that have appeared in history.
Zhu Jingyuan was not simply kind-hearted, nor did he simply not want to see ordinary people being tied to a house.
Although this mentality is inevitable, the key reason why Zhu Jingyuan finally made such a decision was to ensure the prosperity, development and stability of Ming society.
Only when ordinary people don't spend too much money on houses can they have more money to spend in the market.
Let ordinary people spend most of the money they earn from work in the market, buy what they need and want, and enjoy various products and services in the market.
This will not only ensure market activity and promote market prosperity, but in turn allow ordinary people to have more income.
At the same time, it can also improve ordinary people’s satisfaction with their current living conditions.
Ultimately, the state of the entire society will remain stable.
Only if Ming society can continue to maintain stability, prosperity, and development can the ruling status of the Ming royal family remain stable.
If his personal ideals and actual class interests converge, Zhu Jingyuan will certainly do it.
It's just that ideals often deviate from reality.
However, Zhu Jingyuan is no longer a fledgling, and he knows that when dealing with such matters, he must proceed step by step.
After Zhu Jingyuan finished talking about his plan, Edo Governor Chen Jian also roughly read the outline document Zhu Jingyuan laid out, and then carefully asked with a rather tangled expression:
"Your Highness...if everyone...can only own one house without special contributions recognized by the court, what should be done with the existing multiple houses and courtyards?"
Zhu Jingyuan glanced at the others, and the other officials also pricked up their ears, looking serious and worried.
Obviously, Chen Jian's problem is not just his own problem.
In the era of the first industrial revolution, officials, also known as officials and civil servants, were the upper class of the middle class in the entire society.
Their income and living standards exceed those of most middle managers of manufacturers.
With at least a few years of working experience and a few years of income, you can basically afford to buy your own house.
Therefore, in the era of the first industrial revolution, the bureaucracy was still a traditional bureaucracy to a large extent.
They are still the direct subordinates of the monarch, and in most cases are not yet the spokespersons of private capital.
Instead, private capital and businessmen will depend on them.
It was during the era of the Second Industrial Revolution that businessmen gradually gained a universal voice.
The initial discussion between Zhu Jingyuan, Zhu Jianyan, and Zhu Zhongliang was to continue to maintain the dependence of the original bureaucracy on the monarch in the era of the spread of the second industrial revolution.
Most of the most senior local bureaucrats in Edo, such as Chen Jian, own more than just one or two houses.
Basically, there are courtyards in the city, manors in the suburbs, and maybe holiday estates on the seaside, lakeside, or in the mountains.
Of course, these properties will not all be in the place where they work, because local officials are all wandering officials.
So basically there is a big manor in the hometown, a small yard in the workplace, and a manor in the special vacation place.
Zhu Jingyuan himself is the same. There is a royal palace in Liusha City in the Dashi Kingdom, a planned future resort in Dongmozhou, and a large-scale World Park in Xintianfu...
In addition, Zhu Jingyuan acquired a lot of land all over the world, and there were houses on all of these lands, and there were more than one.
There are manors in Baku, manors in Crete, manors in Tiannan, and manors outside the capital...
Zhu Jingyuan understood the concerns of these officials and said with a smile:
“Don’t be nervous, everyone, the determination and implementation of any policy is not achieved overnight.
“I have just come up with this current policy and just started discussing it with everyone.
“What we should do with these houses is a decision we need to discuss with everyone.
“My idea is that you can keep it, sell it on the market, give it to friends and family, and decide for yourself.
“However, from the date of implementation of the policy, the original houses can be rebuilt, but no new houses can be purchased.
“Unless the number of independent houses you own now is already lower than the number of rents you own.
"Do you think this arrangement is reasonable? Do you have any other opinions?"
Chen Jian and the officials at the scene were obviously stunned after hearing this.
It's not because Zhu Jingyuan's requirements are too strict, but because he feels they are too loose...
Most officials, including Chen Jian, take it for granted that excess houses must be sold within a time limit.
As a result, not only does it not need to be sold, but it can also be rebuilt...
There are basically no restrictions except that you can no longer purchase new properties.
But people always try to push themselves further.
Zhu Jingyuan finally asked for their opinions, and another counselor from the Chief Envoy Department asked:
"Then Your Highness... I feel that since the policy has not been implemented yet, it should only govern the future houses.
“Can it be stipulated that the number of existing houses is not subject to room ticket restrictions and does not require corresponding room tickets.
"Those who already own a house will not have any impact on the number of room tickets they receive in the future."
As soon as this official spoke his words, other officials looked at him subconsciously, expecting and panicking.
Chen Jian, the chief envoy, was a little angry and worried that Zhu Jingyuan would be angered by his extravagant behavior.
Therefore, Chen Jian almost instinctively immediately started to play dirty:
"This is a bit excessive. Several recent policies issued by the imperial court are all for the benefit of our officials. We must be content.
“I feel that His Highness’s proposal is very considerate of the existing homeowners and is even a little too tolerant.
“My subordinates believe that the renovation of the original old houses should be prohibited, and at the same time, they are ordered to sell too many houses within a time limit...
"And officials should only be able to buy houses in their hometowns and live in government-owned apartments where they work."
Several officials were darkened when they heard this. Although some officials suspected that Chen Jian was playing dirty tricks, they were also worried that Zhu Jingyuan would make a decision based on his words.
Zhu Jingyuan also instantly understood what Chen Jian meant, and waved his hand with a smile and said:
"Chen Fangbo is too strict, and it goes against the current policy of the court.
“The purpose of the imperial court to continue to improve the remuneration of officials is actually to continue to maintain the attractiveness of official status to the new generation of talents in this era of great industrial and commercial development.
“At the same time, it is necessary to ensure that all officials are not dependent on the private support of private manufacturers, do not need to provide conveniences to private manufacturers when working, and can govern as impartially as possible.
"To put it bluntly, it is to eliminate the worries in the lives of existing officials and future new officials.
“Let officials follow their ideals and true intentions, set their minds for the heaven and earth, establish their destiny for the people, carry on their unique learning for the saints, and create peace for all generations.
“So you should understand this and don’t deliberately do the opposite.
“Asking officials to force the sale of existing homes will not make the bureaucracy more attractive, but will only increase the worries and resentments of existing officials.
"Considering the other way around, the suggestion of excluding existing houses from the room ticket system can actually be considered."
Zhu Jingyuan paused for a moment as he said that the scene had calmed down safely.
The officials at the scene had inquired about Zhu Jingyuan's character through their own channels before Zhu Jingyuan arrived.
I know that Zhu Jingyuan is used to telling the truth and is very simple and direct in everything he does and says.
He is also very transparent and straightforward in reasoning and doing things.
The key is to take care of all subordinates, officials, and people as much as possible.
There is no need to be deliberately scheming when working under Zhu Jingyuan.
Regardless of whether you are doing things out of public motives or private interests, you can discuss it directly with him.
Zhu Jingyuan's words can be put another way, that is, the imperial court will give you the best possible living conditions so that you do not need to engage in corruption or bribery for the sake of your standard of living.
So that you can have no worries, handle government affairs as fairly as possible, and treat the people as fairly as possible.
In order to make you willing to do this, it is okay for you to put forward some requirements that are not excessive.
Everyone understands that no matter how good the conditions are for the masses, it is difficult to reach the level of the truly wealthy.
But many of the benefits provided by the government are not available even if you have money. They are a symbol of status and spirituality.
Everyone understands at the same time that such benefits cannot actually prevent corruption, of course, but they can slow it down and reduce its scope.
The key is that if His Majesty the Emperor and His Highness Prince Dashi are willing to choose this direction, then the living standards of all Ming Dynasty officials in the future era will definitely be guaranteed to a high level.
Regardless of whether the official himself is corrupt in the future... or even now, he will be grateful to Prince Dashi for his decision.
After the scene was quiet for a long time, Chen Jian once again spoke as a representative and said:
"Your Highness is merciful. All the officials in Edo will follow your instructions carefully and will do their best and work hard until they die."
The other officials also stood up and repeated this sentence together.
No matter what happens in the future, the current situation must be spoken out, and one's position must be clear.
Zhu Jingyuan smiled and raised his hand and said:
“Don’t be nervous, get excited, and don’t have too high expectations for the time being...
“Everyone has the status of room tickets, but I estimate the future situation in a few years or even decades.
“When this policy was first implemented, there were still many people and few houses.
“In order to ensure fairness and avoid waste of resources, we must give priority to issuing house tickets to people who do not have houses.
“In addition, officials above the county level are all unemployed, so room tickets should be given priority to new officials at the grassroots level.
“When the construction capabilities of government-owned manufacturers ensure that all newly-employed officials have at least one apartment to live in, other senior officials and veteran officials who already own houses can receive room tickets.
“When the bureaucracy is satisfied that everyone has at least one house, it will be sold to the entire society and the market.
"The market demand should be relatively strong by then, but the number of buildings built by government-owned manufacturers should still be insufficient, and it is impossible to meet the needs of all people at once. The room tickets issued to the private sector at that time can be used as a voucher for selective purchases.
“If ordinary people have worked locally for a certain number of years, paid income tax continuously for a certain number of years, and have no other houses under their names, they can apply for a room ticket from the court to purchase real estate built by a government-run housing construction company.
"This is a long-term, slow, continuous and ever-changing process, and everyone must be mentally prepared."
Faced with Zhu Jingyuan's statement lowering his expectations, Edo officials headed by Chen Jian once again agreed in unison.
In any case, officials have no worries about Zhu Jingyuan's policy, which will not directly affect their interests.
At the same time, in the long run, this policy will definitely be beneficial to society and the people.
The special request of Prince Dashi, a special prince, is a good thing that will not cause any direct loss of profit to him. The officials must try hard to implement it.
(End of chapter)
