KangxiEmperor period,Yellow RiverFrequent floods led to financial difficulties for the imperial court. However, instead of collecting debts from the arrears of the capital,KangxiThe emperor chose to persecuteGangnamSalt merchant bleeding. This phenomenon raises the author's question as to why the imperial court did not first collect debts from the arrears, but chose to exploit themGangnamWhat about the salt merchants? This article will parse this issue in detail and start with:History, system and other perspectivesKangxiWhy the emperor was so harsh on salt merchants, and the dilemma faced by merchants during the Ming and Qing dynasties.
Merchants of the Ming and Qing dynasties, in ChinaConventional wisdomIt is often regarded as a "rich but not expensive" existence, and is described as "low". Most of their wealth is obtained by cooperating with or colluding with the government to exploit the people by improper means. As a result, in literature, businessmen are often associated with negative images such as adulterers. However, the development of a businessman is inseparable from the social environment in which he lives, and when they have wealth, their status will also be promoted, relatives and friends will return, and ** at all levels will also come to the door to "congratulate". To do business in the Ming and Qing dynasties, it was inseparable from official support. The policy needs and protection needs of businessmen are related to **Power rent-seekingThe needs echo each other, contributing to the phenomenon of *** knot. Therefore, when a businessman is called a "red-capped merchant", although it sounds glamorous, it actually means that he has to take the risk of being cut leeks by the imperial court. In other words, in traditional Chinese society, when the wealth of a merchant reaches a certain point, it no longer belongs to him personally, but becomes the wealth of the imperial court.
KangxiThe emperor chose to squeezeGangnamThe reasons for the salt merchants are twofold:Conventional wisdomand institutional factors. Conventional wisdommerchants are seen as recipients of ill-gotten gains, and most of their wealth is obtained by illegal means in collusion with the government. Therefore, in order to solve the problem of financial shortage, the imperial court forced the salt merchants to bleed in order to eliminate harm for the people and the country. KangxiEmperor andYongzhengThe emperor will beGangnamThe salt merchants regarded them as "leeks" and considered their wealth a gift from the imperial court that they had to be forcibly deprived.
On the other hand, institutional factors also influencedKangxiThe Emperor's decision-making. KangxiDuring this period, the imperial court finances mainly relied on the tax revenue of the people, and in disaster years, the imperial court needed to help the people, so it could not obtain sufficient financial revenue from them. At this time, there are two financial ** that can be chosen, one is officialdom and the other is businessman. Although the wealth of officialdom is much greater than that of businessmen, the rectification of officialdom involves the best interests, which will encounter great resistance, and may even shake the country's capital. Therefore,KangxiThe Emperor chose to squeeze the salt merchants and force them to bleed.
The attitude of the imperial court and the ** towards merchants in the past dynasties was the same, and the merchants were divided into two types: acquaintance and non-acquaintance. Acquaintances will take the initiative to bleed, and even donate all their family wealth to the imperial court in exchange for a lifetime of peace; Businessmen who don't know each other will face ** at all levels of the imperial court, and eventually end up in disrepute. Therefore, "unscrupulous merchants" almost became the object of wealth grabbing by the imperial court and ** in the Ming and Qing dynasties. KangxiThe emperor is rightGangnamThe salt merchant's oppression is also a manifestation of this attitude, except that his methods are more direct and intense.
Merchants in the Ming and Qing dynasties faced various difficulties. First of all, they are discriminated against by society and are seen as an inferior class with a lower status. Second, they have to operate in a poor business environment, and the instability of policies and the intervention of the first industry make it difficult for businessmen to operate with peace of mind. Moreover, the identity of businessmen is sensitive, and when there is a change in policy, they are easily suppressed and suppressed. Finally, the merchants were also under the watchful eye of the imperial court, and could be deprived of their wealth at any time, or even destitute.
In summary,KangxiThe emperor chose to squeezeGangnamThe reasons for salt merchants are many, and there are bothConventional wisdomThe source of the wealth of Chinese merchants is also due to institutional factors and the attitude of the imperial court towards merchants. The dilemma faced by merchants was a common reality faced by merchants in the Ming and Qing dynasties. In this context,GangnamThe salt merchants became the "objects" of the imperial court and endured tremendous pressure and exploitation.