I'm a big dick

Chapter 611 The End of the Monopoly of Salt Merchants

Since the introduction of policies and regulations to limit land rent, the emperor's worries about land annexation have almost disappeared.

Reclamation was released in Mengjiang and wasteland in Liao, and even the restrictions on buying and selling of fields in the south of the Yangtze River were relaxed.

Because of policies such as clearing the settlements for payment of wages, severely punishing hidden arrears, and abolishing tax exemptions for the gentry, they were overwhelmed, and the trembling landlords and gentry finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Although the ground rent has a fixed lower limit, so that the landlord cannot exploit the tenant too much.But relying on the remaining land tax, the landlord can also live well.

While protecting the low-level tenants, the emperor also gave the landlords a chance to survive, but they earned less than before.

Those who are content are always happy.Everyone knows this truth and the emperor's methods.If you dare to obey the law and violate the law, you will be punished severely and your whole family will be exiled, leaving you with nothing.

The liberalization of land sales gave landlords the opportunity to use the total amount to increase their income.If you have [-] mu, even if you only charge tenants [-]% of the tax, it will be enough for you to eat well and become a rich man.

Moreover, when large numbers of immigrants are being recruited in both the north and the south, how many people are willing to give up their dream of owning land and become tenants?

Therefore, if the landlord wants to purchase a large amount of land, he must find enough people to cultivate it.How to attract people to become tenants, one is hard to leave the homeland, and the other is to reduce rent and tax.

It is not only the landlords who compete with the landlords for manpower, but also the recruitment of state-owned land.

The imperial court stipulated that at least half of the wasteland reclaimed should be owned by the state. In addition to housing disabled retired officers and soldiers and their families, there was another purpose, which was to lower taxes.

It is impossible for the landlord to compete with the imperial court.The conditions for renting state-owned land will naturally affect the landlords.

This is a kind of adjustment. When the year is good, it will be higher; when there is a disaster, it will be lower.It is not only the right to choose for tenants, but also for landlords to choose whether to be a good and rich man.

Under normal circumstances, the emperor would not do anything to kill them all.After Ping Liao, it was even more so.

Anyone with a heart can see that the emperor is willing to give everyone a chance to choose as long as they don't break the law or become greedy.

This is true of landlords, merchants, and the great salt merchants who were once infinitely prosperous and wealthy.

Xia Zhongshi, who was already the Director of Salt Affairs, was sitting in the conference hall of Lianghuai Salt Administration, watching the many salt merchants below with different expressions.

The salt administration reform in the north has seen results, consolidated the results of the reform, and improved the rules and procedures.Now, it is finally the turn of Lianghuai Salt Administration.

Originally, the "Opening China Law" introduced by Taizu was beneficial to the development of the national economy, especially for the development and construction of the northern border area.

You must know that businessmen not only transported grain for salt, but also actively recruited labor to expand border towns and build construction villages in order to obtain higher salt profit.

But after the Taizu, the opening of China and France became the target of rent-seeking by the dignitaries of the Ming Dynasty and various interest groups.As a result, the implementation of the open-China law has become difficult, and it is difficult to run well.

In order to ensure the income of the salt industry, the Ming Dynasty did not solve the problems arising from the Kaizhong method at the root, but chose the color-folding method with the cart before the horse.

This short-sighted approach only saw the immediate financial benefits, but did not see the impact on the national strategic level.

Originally benefited from the border merchants who opened up China and France, in order to obtain higher profits, they directly built border towns and commercial settlements, which promoted the sufficient supply of military supplies in the border area.

However, the promulgation of the color-folding method directly removed the foundation of the economic development of the border towns, the border merchants gradually withdrew, and the commercial settlements were abandoned.

As a result, military supplies in border towns became tense again, military expenditures increased significantly, and the Ming Dynasty fell into an increasingly serious financial crisis.

Therefore, at the beginning, the emperor could choose to "open the law" again, and use severe punishment to complete the law to ensure the implementation of this good law.

However, the emperor thought over and over again and discussed repeatedly with his courtiers, and finally adopted a salt policy closer to later generations, simplifying the link of salt circulation.

Whether in ancient times or modern times, the more intermediate links there are, the easier it is for mistakes to occur.Just like a machine, the more parts there are, the more likely it is to break down.

Like the opening of Chinese law, the whole process is considered to be completed after going through the process of reporting to the middle - keeping the support - and trading in the market.In these three links, it is easy to appear fraudulent.

It is impossible to prevent it, money touches people's hearts!To strengthen supervision and management, the investment in administration will increase the financial burden of the imperial court.

Therefore, it is better to pinch the salt factory.Add the salt tax to the salt price, set a minimum purchase amount, and anyone can sell it.

This is very close to the practice of later generations, all taxes and fees are included in the price of the product.

Of course, such a salt policy is tantamount to breaking the monopoly of salt merchants.Although they can rely on the quantity of salt purchased and enjoy lower prices.But compared with before, it is far worse.

Salt merchants also went through many channels, even buying bonds to show favor to the court.At the same time, the salt merchants also want to follow the example of the major chambers of commerce and establish the Salt Merchants Association.But this name was not approved by the imperial court.

Although not reconciled, the court's will has been made clear and it is impossible to change it.The salt merchants also knew in their hearts that this meeting was just to strive for better conditions.

"The method of Kaizhong has long since collapsed, and the method of folding colors and the method of outline is hard to recover from. Today's salt method has few intermediate links. It is not only beneficial to the trade, but also beneficial to the people. You must know it in your heart."

In the middle of summer, he took a sip from his teacup and said slowly: "The cancellation of the special sale of salt and the restriction on the introduction of shore seems to have affected your exclusive monopoly. But think about it carefully, if there is no long live to suppress the powerful, How can your exclusive business last? Wouldn’t it be a good lesson to open China and France to collapse?”

If a merchant is simply doing business, it is naturally good.But how can ordinary businessmen be able to contend with the involvement of the powerful and various interest groups?

Officials and merchants also come from this. Merchants are attached to officials, and officials provide convenience for merchants. If officials are not official and merchants are not commercial, the interests of the country and the people will be damaged in the end.

The same is true for monopoly, the emperor does not like it.Whether it was the wealth and extravagance of the salt merchants or the control of the price of salt, the emperor could not understand it.

Money is easy to do, there are many investment options, why stare at the salt?The emperor did not have a good impression of the short-sighted and greedy salt merchants.

The Maritime Chamber of Commerce, the Jiangnan Chamber of Commerce, the Chinese Chamber of Commerce, and the Yangtze River Chamber of Commerce all responded to the call of the imperial court and made contributions to the country and the people.

How about the salt merchants, there is interest in buying bonds, this flattery can't impress the emperor at all.Even if it is a donation, the emperor is not uncommon.

You must know that the money earned by the salt merchants was meant to go into the national treasury, and it was taken out of the mouths of the common people.

The new salt policy can be effectively and strictly implemented, and there is no need for donations from salt merchants, and the court finances get more.Moreover, ordinary people no longer have to suffer from high salt prices.

Another point is that private salt will disappear automatically, and there is no need for the court to send money to fight against it.Illegal salt has been repeatedly banned. Isn't it because the price of official salt is so high that ordinary people can't afford it!
(End of this chapter)