Chapter 3239: Farmers and Diggers Have Far-Sighted Ambitions

Chapter 3238: Farmers and diggers have aspirations

Fei Qian deliberately held this "meeting" at Shoushan Academy instead of Pingyang Marquis Mansion. Of course, he had his considerations. Pingyang Marquis Mansion is Fei Qian's home court, but the official flavor is too strong, while Shoushan Academy has had some academic pioneer flavor from the beginning.

Whether it is the first to carry out the study of scriptures or the attempt to compete in the imperial examination, it can be said that it is easy to turn around when the boat is small.

Fei Qian wants to start the explanation and expansion of new theories at this stage. Obviously, Shoushan Academy is more suitable than Qinglong Temple. After all, Shoushan Academy will be more pure. Although Qinglong Temple is larger in scale, it is also because of its large scale and more mixed people, and the thoughts are more complicated and difficult to grasp.

Since the end of the Spring and Autumn Period and the beginning of the Warring States Period, because the system of the Zhou Dynasty had "collapsed", it led to the contention of a hundred schools of thought. The purpose is to bring salt to the princes of their own country on the one hand, and to explore the direction of the country after the Zhou system on the other hand.

And obviously, Qin won in the end.

Qin's victory also led to the "hundred schools of thought contending" during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, which eventually became "one school of thought", and the centralized and unified system of China became a proven and powerful national system.

The subsequent Han and Tang dynasties implemented this national system route, and until the Tang Dynasty, it expanded to the peak of the cold weapon era of the classical feudal dynasty.

The cavalry of the Tang Dynasty, note that at its peak, almost swept across the desert, shocked the border, and slaughtered foreign countries in a moment, but it was obvious that due to technical limitations, inconvenient transportation, and the inability of the system to keep up, the centralized system was forced to change to a local military government responsibility system, and the Jiedufu, which was too big to be removed, also made it from the middle and late Tang Dynasty to the Song and Ming Dynasties. The civil officials coerced and suppressed the military generals and became the only means to ensure the stability of the imperial power, which eventually led to the immune system that was supposed to resist foreign enemies in the late Ming Dynasty completely becoming a hotbed for bacterial invasion.

Similarly, it can be clearly seen that since the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, the number of people involved in discussions on the national system has actually been shrinking, and the grand occasion of the Hundred Schools of Thought is no longer there. The main reason is still that after the great unification, Confucianism became the core school, and the suppression of Confucianism on other schools of thought was also reflected in academics.

Everything has its pros and cons.

Under the unified and centralized imperial power system and the school system of the feudal dynasty, the ancient feudal dynasty of China could certainly be stable for a hundred years after the founding of the country, but because its system only represented the interests of a very small number of ruling classes and ignored the needs of the grassroots people, it eventually led to the annihilation of generations of feudal dynasties.

Of course, putting aside productivity and production relations, simply talking about castles in the air is obviously a hooligan, but in the same way, if you completely ignore the lives of the grassroots people and only think about adjustments and reforms within the ruling class, and the transfer of interests, the constitutional farce in the late Qing Dynasty is the best example.

China is not without smart people.

Just like Confucius, in the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, he was definitely the leader among all the schools of thought. On that tiankeng forehead that seemed to be hit by God, there was definitely a light of wisdom that ordinary people could not match.

But what about a hundred years later?

What about a thousand years?

Did the ancients not know this?

Obviously not.

But the question is, apart from the "divine right of the monarch", what "magic weapon" do they have to maintain the "rationality" of their rule?

Naturally, they gritted their teeth and absolutely could not admit that the untouchables were the foundation of the country. They could only emphasize that the elites were the future of the country...

And if they want to break this shackle, direct disputes are obviously not enough.

They can only be subtle and warm.

"The way to make money is to give birth to people. Therefore, there is no country that is burdened by population, but only fears that people will not be born. "

Fei Qian said slowly.

In this era, there is no need for birth.

In an era with extremely low survival rates for infants and young children, there is nothing more gratifying than adding children to the family.

"In the past, when making laws, the way to control the expenditure of the state must be based on the population. The land is the source of life for people, and the people are the source of the land. Therefore, the ancient kings valued the basics and neglected the details, focusing on the big things and not blaming the small things. Therefore, when there are many people, the expenditure of the state will be abundant. '

'It is not the case now. Scholars, farmers, merchants and workers have all lost something, and the people of the world cannot find a place to settle down. Therefore, they are displaced and the population is decreasing day by day, and the expenditure of the state is insufficient. '

'The benevolent use wealth to develop themselves, while the unkind use themselves to develop wealth. The benevolent use wealth to support the people, while the unkind plunder the people's wealth. The state system must be carefully considered. If the system is appropriate, the people's livelihood will be stable. If the system is inappropriate, it will be like what Confucius said, "It is more ferocious than a tiger." '

'The state system cannot be established overnight. It must be judged by the times and the situation and implemented according to the customs. Therefore, the reason why the ancient sage kings were able to prosper the state was because they knew it. Only when it is in accordance with the way of heaven and earth and the heart of the people can it last long. '

'I think that the way to govern a country is nothing more than to nourish the people. '

'The people are scholars, farmers, merchants and artisans. Only when they are impartial, neither heavy nor tilted, can they be like the four pillars of heaven, making the country stable and the eight wildernesses peaceful. '

'Therefore, the number of people is the source of all things, and all things should be corrected; to divide the land, to order tribute, to make and stop using, to control salary and food, to start farm labor, and to make military. The country uses it to establish rules, the family uses it to establish standards, the five rituals are used to improve, and the nine punishments are used to formulate. It is only to examine the number of people! '

'Do you agree? '

Fei Qian nodded and added, "This is the Shoushan Mingtang, where superiority and inferiority are judged by opinions. It has nothing to do with your rank or authority. You can speak freely, and you will never be guilty of any crime with your speech." 』

Discussions about population actually existed in every dynasty.

The Spring and Autumn Period mostly encouraged population growth.

Confucianism and the Huang family are all like this.

But there are also people with different concepts. For example, Shang Yang rationally saw the contradiction between population and land, emphasizing the contrast between people and land. Moreover, this guy also paid special attention to population surveys. He was the first person in history to organize a nationwide population survey. First person.

Then, based on Shang Yang's work, Han Feizi further regarded the contradiction between population and land as the source of "people's struggle", saying that "it is not too many for people to have five sons today, and there are five sons, and the father is not dead." Twenty-five grandchildren. Therefore, the people have few goods and wealth, and work hard but have little support. Therefore, the people fight, and although they are rewarded and punished multiple times, they are not immune to chaos. 』

Then Han Feizi only had opinions but no suggestions. He was worried about "people's strife" and said that "despite multiple rewards and punishments, chaos will not be avoided." However, on the other hand, he advocated using the legal system to stop "people's strife".

In the Tang Dynasty, Han Yu, the leader of the Eight Great Masters of the Tang and Song Dynasties, stated that population was closely related to the theory of mutual growth and mutual support. Han Yu believes that people's material life is not self-sufficient, but depends on each other to support each other. If someone cannot use his own labor to provide needed products and services for others, he is of no benefit to society.

Based on this theoretical basis, Han Yu further divided the population from the original "four people" into "six people" according to their occupations, and believed that agriculture, industry, and business people supported each other and were needed by society. Then scholars are those who govern people, and it is only natural that they should be supported by others, and they are also people who are beneficial to society. The so-called monks and Taoists do not engage in economic activities such as agriculture, industry, and commerce, but need support from agriculture, industry, and commerce. They are essentially a surplus population...

From a certain perspective, has it been true that since the Tang Dynasty of Han Yu, there has been a sense of "elite" governance?

Do we bring salt to our class? Do we all need to have enough food? What’s the problem?

But if China really wants to be strong, can it rely on a single class?

Especially by the so-called "elite" class?

It's freezing cold, and the water is indeed too cold, but my scalp can still be cooled off. Is this a contradiction?

What is a "scholar"?

That is the transformation of "earth"!

Of course, there are not without "scholars" with outstanding vision. For example, Ma Duanlin in the Yuan Dynasty was the first person in Chinese history to clearly raise the issue of population quality and discuss its important economic significance. He said, "In ancient times, there were only a few people with a small household registration, but they were all intelligent people; in later generations, the population was large, but there were many lazy people." Jun is a human being. In ancient times, if a person was a scholar, he would be good at Taoism and learning; if he was a farmer, he would be good at farming; if he was a soldier, he would be good at fighting. No matter where you put your money, you will be satisfied. Therefore, a country thousands of miles away, with thousands of families gathered together, can defend its country and its people for the rest of the world. The people make the country strong, and the people are few, the country is weak. The people are the people who support the establishment of the country at that time. 』

Although Ma Duanlin's words may not have been used to express the depression in his heart, they are also an important progress in the development of the Chinese population's thoughts. Quantity and quality are needed, otherwise those demented people who talk nonsense all day long are also important. No matter how many scholars there are, what good will they do?

Everyone in the audience, although they heard Fei Qian say that those who speak are not guilty, but when it is obvious that he wants to use this theory to rectify his name, it is obviously not a good idea to jump out and confront Fei Qian, so even if Fei Qian let everyone He spoke freely, but there was still silence.

Fei Qian looked at Zhong Jie.

Zhongjie coughed slightly, then raised his hands and said, "I have a hundred acres of land, and the produce is enough to feed ten people." There are five people now, and the changes in national policy are enough to support these five people. If the number of people increases by twenty, but the yield of the fields is only enough to feed fifteen, even if they have the talent to know the world, they will not be able to escape the suffering of famine, and they may even starve to death all over the country. Although there is the art of increasing the field, the increase of the art is limited, while the increase of the people is boundless. We are happy when the people increase, but the fields are not desirable. If the fields are not inherited, what can be done? 』

Fei Qian nodded, "What the Great Sacrificial Wine said is true." 』

"Looking at agriculture alone, the number of acres of land is limited, and the population of people is increasing. It is impossible to support the sudden increase in the number of people with limited acres of land." 』

"Since this question exists, it should be answered. 』

"Then, who can explain it?" Fei Qian looked around and said with a gentle smile, "But Ling Nong can help himself?" The yield per mu is fixed, and the annual increase is calculated orally. Therefore, the people hide their lives and have their babies die young, so as not to have their mouths settled. 』

"Therefore, it is up to the scholars to solve the difficulties faced by farmers." Fei Qian said categorically, "But what about the people in Shandong today?" I only know tax service. 』

Taxation in the Han Dynasty was rough, and it can even be said that even in later generations, the taxation system was still unsatisfactory. It was originally supposed to be a tax for social regulation and use by the people, but what was the result? The richer the people, the more they evade taxes, while the poorer people are overwhelmed by the taxes passed on in every link.

For example, there is a blueberry tax, a marshmallow tax, a bread cut tax, a hot soup tax, a pumpkin carving tax...

As for other countries, well, ahem...

"In order to calculate taxes, there must be strict rules. The beetle officials have their hands up and down, and the country gentry cleverly seizes the people's fat. ” Fei Qian said, “The land is not enough to support people, but the government is not enough to support the people.” Therefore, the people are full of resentment and the laws are difficult to implement. Those who look down upon those above are contemptuous; those who look upon those below are despicable."

"Therefore, the thieves in Shandong drive the people to death and reduce their reputations by fighting. This is the technique of exterminating households, just like the current disaster in Hedong." 』

"I often hear the so-called great righteousness, saying that the people are important, but if you treat them harshly, don't you treat them like grass? If the government loses its way, the people will be resentful and the country will no longer be a country. Therefore, a gentleman should focus on the basics, and the way will come when the basics are established."

"Now if there is a thief, who harms the people with harsh government, he will cut himself off from the emperor, the Han Dynasty, and the world! "

That's right, Fei Qian doesn't want to use the old names such as "clear the emperor's side, save the people, and support the world" to fight wars, nor does he want his fight with Lao Cao to become a conspiracy between princes and princes, and become the so-called circle competition.

In the early days of Fei Qian, it didn't matter if he shouted these slogans, because everyone shouted them at that time. If Fei Qian shouted a slogan about why he served, he might scare a lot of people on the spot...

But now it's different.

Obviously, Fei Qian needs to propose a completely different direction from Shandong's road, and he cannot use the righteousness that Shandong people shout. Even if he uses it reluctantly, it is meaningless.

Although everyone has reached a consensus that there is no righteous war in the Spring and Autumn Period, it cannot be said that knowing "no righteousness" means pretending to be "righteous".

As Fei Qian said, it is obviously wrong to simply point all the contradictions of the feudal dynasties to the land.

People and land are themselves a community that is intertwined.

Therefore, the population problem is not a single independent social problem, but a complex problem that integrates resources, environment, economic development, cultural traditions, etc.

Insufficient or overpopulated population will have adverse effects on the country and society.

A country should have an ideal population density and a moderate population size. This population size and population density are adapted to the country's land and natural resource endowment, the level of knowledge and technology application, the production capacity of industry and agriculture, and the ability of the people to support, and belong to a dynamic category.

Since it is a dynamic category, it naturally requires a suitable national system to regulate and intervene.

A rigid policy that always says it is the law of ancestors is obviously not a good thing.

Under this, the advantages and disadvantages of the national system and the differences in laws are reflected.

During the three or four hundred years of the Han Dynasty, didn’t the emperor and ministers know that there were problems with the government orders, taxes, laws, etc.?

Yes, but since the people have not yet reached the point of making a fuss, is there no need to amend the law? If it really doesn’t work, pull the three officials out to apologize, say Moses dug it open, and immediately Masien, isn’t it considered a matter?

Indeed, as long as the lower-class people can survive, they will never risk their lives to launch a peasant uprising. Therefore, the relative slow response of the ruling class is understandable. Anyway, as long as it has not reached the last step, the ruling class mostly thinks that they can continue to let the people suffer and endure.

But the fundamental development of China’s overall social development is driven by the vast majority of Chinese people, not determined by ambitious people. The so-called "times make heroes", the times are the public opinion, and the public opinion comes from the things and needs that the lowest level people desire most.

In other words, the living conditions of the lowest level people are the ultimate decision whether the whole society is stable. When the grassroots people have difficulty surviving, the whole country is naturally unstable and unsettled. This is why the capitalist countries in later generations immediately issue welfare coupons and similar related measures to the grassroots people once there is a problem.

This is the naturalness of human beings hidden under sociality.

After all, in the Chinese feudal dynasty, the population can be relatively simply divided into the grassroots and the ruling class.

When the population growth is suppressed by the environment, the grassroots are the first and most severely suppressed, while the ruling class is often not affected much because of its rich production and living materials. This makes the proportion of the tongzhi class in the total population rise suddenly, and the ruling class will try every means to increase taxes in order to maintain at least the previous living standards, and the tax burden of the grassroots will increase.

Since China has been shouting about people-oriented, benevolence, justice and morality since the Spring and Autumn Period, then at this moment, isn't it an opportunity to put these long-shouted "justice" into practice?

Even if Fei Qian knew in his heart that the shelf life of this "justice" could not be determined, it was better than nothing after all.

After Zhong Jie Linghu Hui and others asked and set off intentionally or unintentionally, Fei Qian also said the final conclusion...

"The four people's occupations are the cornerstone of the country. Scholars establish themselves with diligent learning, farmers make a living by farming, craftsmen make tools with skills, and merchants get rich with currency. The four perform their duties, support each other, and help the prosperity of the Han Dynasty. '

"Scholars are the pillars of the country. Read books to understand the truth, cultivate oneself and manage the family, govern the country and bring peace to the world. Not only Confucian scholars of chapters and sentences, but also talents for practical use. Therefore, scholars must strive to learn, so as to prepare for the needs of the court and the country. '

"Farmers are the foundation of the country. Food is the heaven of man, and farmers are the foundation of food. Planting in spring and harvesting in autumn, weeding in summer and storing in winter, every grain is the product of hard work. Farmers work hard in the fields, so that the granaries are full and the people are at ease, and the country's fortune can last long. '

'The craftsman is the ingenuity of the country. The craftsman is ingenious and has exquisite skills. He forges iron into weapons, builds earth into cities, and builds boats and cars to facilitate transportation. The skills of the craftsman are not only for the convenience of people's livelihood, but also for the strength of the country. '

『Businessmen are the pulse of the country. Traders should be honest and trustworthy, and traders should be fair. Merchants come and go, goods circulate, and wealth gathers. The way of businessmen can make things from all directions get what they deserve, and also make the country rich and blood flow smoothly. 』

『The four people have their own strengths and specialties. Times change, things change, and the four people should also change with the times and live in response to the situation. Therefore, the division of the four people is different in responsibilities, not in the upper and lower levels, nor in the high and low nobles. Take your ability, develop your talent, benefit the people with your duties, and prosper the country with your ability. Therefore, officials should adopt the strengths of the four people, understand the duties of the four people, use the systems of the four people, support the four people, and prosper the country and benefit the people. 』

Everyone has different expressions. Some are pleased, some are amazed, some are doubtful, and some are hesitant. There are also people who lower their heads and seem unwilling to let others see their expressions.

Fei Qian paused for a moment, then continued:

‘In the past, during the reigns of Yao, Shun, Yu and Tang, morality was evident and benevolent government prevailed. Those in power established themselves according to the Way, governed the country with virtue, and adhered to their original intentions, not being shaken by the secular world. Therefore, the four seas were blessed with good weather, and the people lived and worked in peace and contentment, and the atmosphere was harmonious. ’

‘Therefore, those in power should guard the mountains. Mountains are where the goodness of human nature is, and the root of the principles of heaven. Those who hold this heart can correct themselves, transform others, and settle the country and the people. ’

‘Those in power should be thoroughfares. The thoroughfares are where the world travels and the eight wildernesses go. Those who hold this intention, wherever their hearts go, the Han Dynasty is the border, the natural moat becomes the thoroughfare, and the steep is like a plain! ’

‘Those in power should have the Way. The Way is not moved by profit and desire, and is not confused by power. Those who hold this Way are selfless, fair and upright, and carry on the past and usher in the future, and create a thousand-year achievement! 』

『However, guarding the mountain and the thoroughfare is not a one-day job, nor is it the work of one person. You all need to encourage each other and work together to achieve this peaceful and harmonious state of the world. In this way, the prefectures and counties are peaceful, the people are happy, and the world is one family, sharing the blessings of the Han Dynasty! 』

『Now there are thieves, they have lost their mountains, cut off their thoroughfares, and messed up their roads! They drive the people like pigs and dogs, and trap the country like a child's play! There is no system to govern the four people at home, and no way to resist the barbarians outside! They only know how to rob the people of taxes, impose hard labor on the people, occupy high positions, and harm the country! This is the disaster of the Han Dynasty! 』

『The fortune and misfortune of a person is in the slightest, and the eternal honors are fought for in an instant! You must know that there is a general principle for obedience and rebellion, and the name can be determined for thousands of years! Now is the time to fight against the thieves and rebellion, eliminate evil policies, revive the Han system, stabilize the country, and pacify the four seas and eight wildernesses! 』

『Announce it to the whole country, so that everyone will know it! 』