Last year, foreign trade orders alone increased by more than 500 million guan compared to the year before. Of course, this was not an increase out of thin air, but rather because the Song Dynasty opened up new global markets, brought countries around the world together, and signed a large number of orders.
In addition to arms orders, there are also other orders for porcelain, tea, silk, books, etc., and this data does not only include exports, but also import data.
That is to say, the import and export volume of the Song Dynasty increased by 500 million strings of cash last year. It is still unknown how much raw materials such as gold and silver minerals, spices, woods, gems and precious stones continued to flow into the Song Dynasty.
Countries around the world received weapons and a vast array of newly manufactured goods and handicrafts, while the Song Dynasty amassed a vast wealth of gold and silver. Each side benefited, akin to Qin Shi Huang wielding a wire and then cloning it—a win-win for both sides.
But this explosive growth basically only lasted for one year. It will definitely decline slightly this year, and it will decline every year. It is impossible to grow as horribly as last year.
The reason is simple.
First, the current global market is so small. The world's population, including the current 160 million people of the Song Dynasty, is at most 1 billion. Although it is impossible for the Song Dynasty's industrial products to fill the market all at once, other countries have to digest them first.
Second, selling too many arms would definitely lead to the escalation of global war. Once a war breaks out, there would be no time for construction, the economy would go downhill, and it would be reasonable that there would not be enough money to buy products from the Song Dynasty.
Therefore, last year's glory is estimated to be just a peak for a long time to come. To replicate it, global productivity must be upgraded again.
But even so, it is already a very exaggerated figure for the Song Dynasty.
Basically compared with the Jingyou period, in less than twenty years, except for the population, all other data of the Song Dynasty have increased more than ten times.
Even the population has more than doubled. It is normal for a couple to have three or four, five or six, or even seven or eight children. It is only a matter of time before the population of the Song Dynasty exceeds 200 million in a few years.
If this trend continues, by 1100 AD, 46 years later, the population of the Song Dynasty should reach 8.9 billion, or even 1 billion.
This is not an exaggeration.
Because in the early days of the founding of the People's Republic of my country, the first population census in 1954 showed a population of 600 million. Ten years later in 1964, the population had become 700 million. Eighteen years later in 1982, the population reached 1 billion.
In less than 30 years, the population has nearly doubled, and this was when our country was relatively poor. If it were not for family planning, the population would probably have exceeded 2 billion by 2023.
Therefore, with the development of industry, productivity is increasing and a large increase in population is an inevitable trend, including the early stage of the Western Industrial Revolution.
The only difference from later generations is that although my country’s population increased greatly in later generations, the domestic economic situation was very average.
Today, the economy is booming, and population growth will keep up with the economic dividend. In this way, the economy and population will complement each other, and there will be no need for family planning as in later generations.
After all, the poorer you are, the more children you have, but when you become rich, you have less motivation to have children.
In forty or fifty years, even if the population exceeds one billion or even 1.5 billion, and the industrialization process develops to a higher level, the fertility rate will naturally decline, and there will be no need to worry too much about it.
"Well, last year's growth was really gratifying. This way, we can secure funding for the national education upgrade and three years of free compulsory education that we previously planned."
Zhao Zhen said with a smile, "We should also put the development of Northeast China on the agenda. Both of these projects will cost a lot of money. The national treasury made a lot of money last year. With this extra 100 million guan as a foundation, we won't have to worry about these two money-eating beasts in the next few years."
"But at the same time, we can't just sit back and relax on the huge profits we made last year. We still have to find more sources of income, continue to grow bigger and stronger, and create more success."
Zhao Jun said.
Yan Shu asked, "What does Hanlong think?"
"It's simple, just keep exploring!"
Zhao Jun looked at the world map hanging on the right wall of Chongzheng Hall and said, "We should increase our efforts to develop Australia and America, first settle in large numbers, and make them our Han territory."
"Well, Australia and America are rich in minerals, but now they are like a wild and untamed land, which makes people salivate."
"It's a pity it's too far away from us."
"We have been sending fleets over the years, and many people have also gone to America, but the populations in the settlements there are still too small, and it's difficult to get along with the locals."
"We'll see when the time comes. We can formulate policies to coexist harmoniously with the locals and develop together. After all, we are not the barbaric Angsa people."
Everyone chatted for a while.
Now the situation in the Song Dynasty is getting better and better, and the entire economic construction has been put on the right track. Perhaps it won’t be long before a behemoth that will be ahead of the rest of the world by many years will emerge.
While we were discussing, we didn't realize it was already the beginning of the afternoon, which was around 5 pm.
The sun was still shining brightly outside, just like at noon, but the color of the sunlight was no longer the golden color of noon, but a light orange.
"Okay, that's about all I have to say. I'm tired, let's take a rest."
Seeing that today's topic had basically been discussed and time was almost up, Zhao Zhen prepared to leave work.
He had just arrived in Bianliang in the morning and had spent the previous night on the train. The fatigue from the long journey had not yet dissipated and he felt a little tired.
"Then let's adjourn the meeting."
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