When did the Great Leap Forward begin to loosen the government's control over iron smelting and allow private iron smelting and the sale of ironware?
While drinking tea, He Youyou asked Zhao Changqing a question.
Her life revolves around business and commerce; she can't stop talking about it.
Zhao Changqing was playful as a child and didn't like studying politics.
Furthermore, having left the palace at a young age and never having run a business, how could he possibly have such detailed knowledge of the commercial development of Da Gan?
Hearing He Youyou's question, he immediately fell silent.
"Hmm... perhaps... during the reign of Emperor Gaozu?"
He brought the teacup to his lips.
While pretending to drink tea, he glanced up at He Youyou's expression.
He Youyou didn't suspect anything.
She asked that question casually.
Whether it was changed during the reign of Emperor Taizu or Emperor Gaozu, the answer was not that important to her.
She asked that question simply to start a conversation.
"The state-run economy, which uses profits instead of taxes, can bring revenue to the country, but it has many drawbacks and cannot be implemented indefinitely."
Zhao Wenqi, who was kneeling on a chair playing with toys, suddenly leaned over when he heard this.
With his elbows propped on the table, he tilted his head and asked, "Auntie, what is government-run economy?"
Seeing his reaction, He Youyou suddenly had a thought.
Zhao Wenqi, could he be a kinesthetic learner?
He Youyou had previously researched some educational institutions and had some understanding of education-related content.
Educators categorize children into three groups based on their learning strengths.
Visual learners, auditory learners, and kinesthetic learners.
Kinesthetic learners conduct neural transmission during movement.
They are always moving around, but this does not prevent them from receiving information from the outside world.
These children seem mischievous and restless, constantly running around and causing trouble.
They are often misunderstood, with people thinking they don't like to study and don't follow the rules.
But in reality, moving around is their way of learning.
These kinds of children are better suited to learning through practice than to sitting quietly in a classroom.
If they can maintain their curiosity, then seize the opportunity to impart knowledge whenever they are curious.
"State-run economy means that the state controls the operation of certain commodities, such as salt, iron and alcohol. The manufacturing and sale of these things can only be carried out by the government, and ordinary people are not allowed to get involved."
Zhao Wenqi then asked, "Then why can only the government operate it?"
He Youyou explained further: "This is called 'using profits instead of taxes,' which means using commercial profits to replace taxes. When the government operates these things and makes a profit, it increases the country's fiscal revenue. In this way, it can have money to support the army, support government officials, and build various projects that benefit the people."
Zhao Wenqi seemed to understand but not quite, and blinked.
He knew about taxes.
"But...why must we replace taxes with profits? Wouldn't collecting taxes directly increase revenue? And wouldn't it be more troublesome to run the business ourselves?"
He Youyou stroked her chin and thought for a moment.
"There is an analogy that can answer your question."
What metaphor is it?
"Taxing taxes from the people is like plucking feathers from a goose. Someone once said that collecting taxes is an art of 'plucking more feathers from a goose without making it squawk'."
(This quote comes from Jean-Baptiste Colbert, a 17th-century French politician.)
Zhao Wenqi blinked.
He Youyou continued, "If too many goose feathers are plucked, will it hurt?"
"pain?"
"If it hurts, will you scream?"
"meeting."
"What if you don't want the geese to squawk?"
"Then we can't pull it out."
"That's right!" He Youyou patted his head approvingly. "If you don't want the people to complain about the heavy taxes, then don't levy taxes. But if you don't levy taxes, the country has no revenue. In order to have revenue without making the people feel the pain, the clever people in the government came up with this method of 'state monopoly on salt, iron and wine'. No taxes are collected, but through commercial monopoly, private merchants are not allowed to get involved, so that the people can only trade with the government, and all the profits go into the government's pockets."
"Oh." Zhao Wenqi seemed to understand when he heard this.
"However, government-run businesses have their drawbacks and cannot last forever. If they continue to develop, they will inevitably move towards opening up the market to private franchises."
Zhao Wenqi was very satisfied with what he heard, and after that, he went off to play somewhere else.
Watching his figure, He Youyou couldn't help but ask Zhao Changqing, "Wenqi has always been like this since he was little, unable to stay quiet?"
Zhao Changqing was speechless.
He couldn't answer that question either.
He only returned to the capital last year and hadn't even spent a year with Zhao Wenqi, so how could he know about his childhood?
However, his elder brother once told him, "Wenqi is just like you when you were a child."
Doesn't he understand Zhao Wenqi, and doesn't he understand himself?
“Yes, he has been like that since he was a child,” Zhao Changqing replied.
A few days later, Emperor Zhao Changheng summoned officials from the Ministry of Revenue to his study.
The main purpose was to discuss the latest land reclamation plan drafted by Xie Zhihong, the newly appointed Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue.
Because of his successful experience in promoting land reclamation during his tenure in Jizhou, the Ministry of Revenue wanted him to share his successful experience so that it could be replicated in other regions.
This prompted areas with a large amount of abandoned land to reclaim wasteland and turn it into fertile farmland.
Xie Zhihong's plan proposed that, in order to encourage the people's enthusiasm for land reclamation, newly reclaimed farmland could be exempted from taxes for three years.
Emperor Zhao Changheng had some concerns about this.
"Isn't it a bit too long to go three years without paying taxes?"
"Your Majesty, please forgive my accusation. The people's work in reclaiming wasteland is time-consuming and laborious, and the hardships they endure are beyond the comprehension of ordinary people. When I was in Jizhou, I once had a discussion with the people who were reclaiming wasteland. The most difficult year is the first year, when the entire year is spent improving the wasteland and there is basically no harvest. Even from the second year onwards, there is some harvest, but it still cannot compare with fertile land. Your Majesty, in the matter of taxation, you must ensure that you 'take taxes from the people without causing them resentment.'"
The second prince, who was assembling building blocks, didn't even lift his eyelids and casually replied, "Plucking goose feathers, but without making the goose feel pain."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
