Chapter 84 Government Modernization
The method of making treasure banknotes in the Yuan Dynasty was actually about sealing and not burying them. Money is printed in large quantities, even in small denominations. Used in place of copper coin transactions. The management of Jiaozi in the Southern Song Dynasty was more scientific. First of all, there has always been recycling and the price of Baochao has been controlled. When the price of Baochao is low, a large amount of materials will be released in the market to buy back the currency, so that the price of Baochao can be maintained.
However, the war budget of the Southern Song Dynasty was too large. Big enough to destroy this fragile fiscal system.
Jia Sidao's public land law and the forced expropriation of land in the south of the Yangtze River were essentially to fill the big hole in Jiaozi. As a result, it just couldn’t be maintained.
Although they all collapsed, the Southern Song Dynasty knew how to play with paper money, but it just couldn't finish it. The Yuan Dynasty was a naked pursuit of wealth.
The Ming Dynasty banknotes are almost replicas of the Yuan Dynasty banknotes.
What does it mean to not harm the people but make the national treasury self-sufficient? This thing hurts the people the most.
After all, most dignitaries knew about the depreciation of treasure banknotes in advance, but ordinary people were the least informed. Most of the losses caused by the depreciation of treasure banknotes will fall on these people.
It makes people want to cry without tears.
He Xi said: "Your Majesty, treasure money is a university subject. Generally, it requires collateral. The final collateral is gold and silver?"
Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly asked curiously, "I remember that you also brought a few banknotes. Do you also have collateral for your banknotes?"
He Xi didn't know how to answer for a while.
Monetary theory in the twenty-first century is much richer than this era. It is estimated that he even explained to Zhu Yuanzhang how the United States uses the business of printing banknotes. Global domination. Zhu Yuanzhang was determined not to believe it.
He Xi said: "The future currency is already a national credit currency. It represents national credit. The country has specialized departments for management. Any currency fluctuations will attract attention."
Zhu Yuanzhang did not pay attention to the former, but paid attention to the latter. Because there is only one printing agency for Ming Dynasty banknotes, Baoquan Bureau. As for after printing, sorry, almost no one cares about it. Is it the Minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs?
The departments under the Ministry of Household Affairs also have no specialized agencies.
Perhaps the matter of treasure notes can be discussed in court. But there is no dedicated agency responsible for this. Zhu Yuanzhang also felt at this moment that there should be such an organization.
Zhu Yuanzhang said: "What will be the department in charge of money in future generations?"
He Xi said: "It is the central bank. He is responsible for how many treasure banknotes are printed and how many treasure banknotes are recycled."
Zhu Yuanzhang secretly thought: "Central Bank." He remembered this word in his heart, and then said: "Stop talking about this, let's continue talking."
Zhu Yuanzhang didn't want to hear this topic anymore.
On the one hand, Zhu Yuanzhang did not understand many things very well. He needs to make up more classes. On the other hand, Zhu Yuanzhang just wanted to get a directional idea from He Xi today. Zhu Yuanzhang still had to think about what to do.
After all, He Xishui had extensive knowledge, but after all, he had not experienced many things and did not know enough about the Ming Dynasty. Almost all of the plans he made were inappropriate.
It's like a financial issue.
In Zhu Yuanzhang's view, it is not easy to move.
Zhu Yuanzhang spent many years building the current financial system, but now he doesn't need it anymore. Zhu Yuanzhang himself was unwilling to do so. The lack of fiscal autonomy at the local level would be a disadvantage or a benefit to the court.
This is also something to ponder over and over again.
In He Xi's opinion, this is a drawback. Although Guo Huan deserves to die, the problem Guo Huan mentioned does not exist. Financial expenditures in all aspects have been allocated in a systematic way. If you want to do something, you need money. How do you get money? All are problems.
But in Zhu Yuanzhang's view, this is not the case.
This begs a question.
What is a good official?
In He Xi's view, it is for the people to make the decision. Seek benefits for the people.
But in Zhu Yuanzhang's view, no, it should be that in traditional Confucianism, a good official is one who does not cause trouble.
Why? Because the so-called actions and achievements of most officials are useless. People also need to pay a price for their political achievements.
Zhu Yuanzhang wanted a sustaining government, while He Xi deliberately equated the government's functions with those of later generations, making it an all-powerful one. A government that controls almost everything.
The gap between the two is simply worlds of difference.
In terms of system, Zhu Yuanzhang never thought about asking the officials below to do any big things. Just appease the people. Education is the first priority of local officials. And what does the local government need so much money for?
Zhu Yuanzhang, who was very suspicious, said, "Do you want to rebel?"
So, are local officials financially constrained intentionally or unintentionally?
As far as He Xi is concerned, he can still complain about finances for three days and three nights.
However, since Zhu Yuanzhang wouldn't let him talk anymore. He Xi naturally continued. He Xi said: "The next step is to modernize the government."
In fact, what He Xi said was logical.
First, complete military modernization and stabilize the situation in the DPRK. Then solve the financial modernization, so that the court has more resources at its disposal. Then, there is government modernization.
"The so-called government modernization is actually a drastic reform of the current imperial court." He Xi said: "Because this system cannot adapt to future development."
"First of all, the management ability of the imperial court and the separation of officials and officials. In fact, the real people in the imperial court are the officials. But the officials do not receive enough attention. They are even politically discriminated against. Many officials can only earn enough income by committing crimes. This A little bit, Your Majesty should know."
Zhu Yuanzhang nodded and said: "Che Qian Dian Ji Toa, if he is not guilty, he should be killed."
The so-called teeth are Yamen. It means Yamen.
Officials everywhere are like wolves and tigers, poisoning the people. Although these people have little power. But for ordinary people, the power is boundless. There is simply no way to fight it.
Zhu Yuanzhang was begging everywhere and had seen and heard many evil things of this generation.
Even after he became emperor, he purged officials several times. But how much has it been cleared down below? Zhu Yuanzhang did not dare to have too optimistic conjectures.
"So, the first thing to do is to integrate officials and officials. Let officials be selected from among the officials. Let people who can really do things become important ministers of the Ming Dynasty."
When Zhu Yuanzhang heard this suggestion, he frowned and said, "It's not impossible to let officials serve as officials. But this generation's morals are corrupt. They don't have a straight ministerial structure."
During the Hongwu Dynasty, there was a shortage of people in all aspects. Many civil servants were promoted to officials. If an official has good performance appraisals for nine consecutive years, he can become an official. Although he can't be a high official. Later, after the imperial examination flourished. But no more.
the reason is simple. The imperial examination system required a large number of official positions. How could it be possible for an official with a civil servant background to occupy it?
Zhu Yuanzhang discriminated against the entire group of officials, which corresponds to the previous situation where Che Qian Dian and Ji Ya were innocent and deserved to be killed.
"Your Majesty," He Xi said, "What if all officials must take the exam before entering?"
Zhu Yuanzhang was stunned and said: "Everyone must take the exam?"
"Yes." He Xi said: "The reason why officials are discriminated against is that they are generally good and bad. But it must be. It is said that the county magistrate is an official who is close to the people, but what are the people who really come into contact with the people? It is these officials."
"Governing a country means governing officials. Properity, justice and integrity are the four dimensions of a country. If the four dimensions are not maintained, the country will perish. Now, in the entire system of officials, is there any propriety, justice and integrity to speak of? Maybe there is some. But there is not much determination."
"If the problem of the entire staff system is not solved, can the problem of Ming Dynasty be solved?"
"We need to solve the problem of officials. On the one hand, we must break the barriers to promotion among officials. On the other hand, we must improve the overall quality of officials. And in the world, the people with the highest quality are scholars."
"Introduce them into the official system and use them for a period of time to replace them. Wouldn't it be good to let them become the fresh blood of the Ming Dynasty?"
"A strong general must be sent to the army, and a prime minister must start from the state department. If someone can step from an official to a ministry, he must be a talented person."
After Zhu Yuanzhang heard this, he couldn't help but slap his buttocks with his hands, and thought to himself: "That's right. Why didn't I think of it?"
In Zhu Yuanzhang's view, this was a good alternative to the imperial examination.
Why do you say that?
What is the greatest function of the imperial examination? It is to win over scholars. Give people a way to rise.
Now let the scholars start from being officials. Although he offended many scholar-bureaucrats. But win over more ordinary readers. Among the scholars in the world. Are there more scholar-bureaucrats or ordinary scholars?
Naturally it is the latter. Let these scholars have a way out. They won't cause trouble.
But those scholar-bureaucrats could not cause any trouble.
And even Zhu Yuanzhang had to admit it. Who are the people with the highest quality in Ming Dynasty? A scholar? When the vast majority of the people are illiterate. Being able to read is already good. And scholars don’t care what books they read. They are all available talents.
And most of the lower class scholars are actually very practical. They don't care too much about Zhu Xi's studies, Neo-Confucianism, or even Confucianism. I don’t care too much about the orthodoxy.
Zhu Yuanzhang loved and hated Song Lian, a scholar who was talented and upright but was not of the same mind as himself. And if the scholars are selected in this way. There is definitely nothing to say about the ability to work. In other aspects, I guess I am not that persistent.
However, almost instantly, Zhu Yuanzhang thought of a question.
It was not the strong resistance of the officials as a whole, nor was it the resistance brought about by replacing the imperial examination. As long as Zhu Yuanzhang makes up his mind, these things can be solved. A problem is an unsolvable problem.
That's money.
If the officials and officials are integrated, then money must be paid to the officials.
And how many officials did Ming Dynasty need? This was a number that Zhu Yuanzhang did not dare to think of. In an ordinary small county, there would probably be one or two hundred people. There are more than a thousand counties, hundreds of prefectures, and 300 health centers across the country. Plus the central government offices at all levels.
This number is an astronomical figure. Even more than the Guards Army.
After all, in later generations, it was normal for civil servants to outnumber the military.
This was completely unacceptable to Zhu Yuanzhang.
