According to the "Records of Emperor Xuanzong Cheng of the Qing Dynasty", in October of the 14th year of Daoguang, the Qing Emperor delivered an important speech after receiving the officers of the Ruijian Battalion, highly praising the officers' riding and archery skills and the spirit of diligence and thrift. However, this was not the case, and the officers of the Ruijian battalion did not have a real sense of frugality, but deliberately wore old clothes to cater to the emperor's preferences. This phenomenon of upward and downward effect is not uncommon in **, because when the upper layer pursues something, the lower level tends to cater to it. However, behind this superficial frugality lies the corruption and greed of officialdom.
In the Daoguang era, ** financial difficulties, the emperor hoped to create a good atmosphere through the advocacy of frugality. However, in a ** empire, it is often difficult for the emperor to understand the real situation at the grassroots level, especially the corruption of officialdom. In order to seek personal gain, local ** frequently gives gifts, and Beijing officials take receiving gifts as the norm, forming a vicious circle. Even those who are corrupt are often in a difficult position, as their reluctance to engage in corruption is often marginalized.
Corruption in the Qing Dynasty was not limited to localities, but permeated the entire system. They eat, drink, accept bribes, and even sell their official positions, which makes the finances more embarrassed and the people's livelihood more difficult. In the face of this corruption, the oversight mechanism has failed, and the people are complaining but powerless to change it. Under such a system, there is no other way but to be overthrown.
Therefore, we need to deeply reflect on how to break this corrupt system and establish a more fair and transparent governance mechanism. **Supervision should be strengthened, corrupt acts should be severely punished, and the quality and integrity of civil servants should be improved. At the same time, it is also necessary to strengthen the education of the people, cultivate their concept of the rule of law, and make everyone aware of their rights and obligations. Only in this way can we achieve the goal of long-term peace and stability in the country.
In the face of such profound questions, we can't help but ask: how should we, as a nation, get out of the quagmire of corruption?