Let's talk about the tax system. In Guan Zi's view, national taxes can be roughly divided into two types: one is mandatory and the other is voluntary. Compulsory, in addition to land tax, there are housing tax, livestock tax, poll tax, fruit tax and so on. For this kind of compulsory tax, Guan believes that it should be levied as little as possible or exempted. Because these compulsory taxes have certain negative effects. So, what taxes should the state levy to enrich the financial resources of the state treasury to meet the expenses of the state machinery? Guan believes that the best tax form is indirect tax, which makes people only "see what they get, but not what they take". In other words, through the special collection method, people can only see the benefits given by the state, but can't see the act of taking it away. The people not only pay this tax voluntarily, but also ask for it. At that time, such taxes in Qi State included salt and iron tax, fishery tax and Shanze specialty tax.
As for the lever of money, Guanzi mainly grasps the interaction of "money is heavy, everything is light, money is light, everything is heavy" by using the corresponding relationship between it and commodities, so it is regulated in a planned and step-by-step manner between light and heavy. The specific operation method is to buy when it is light (cheap) and sell when it is heavy (expensive). Once the state is involved, the price will develop in the opposite direction by collecting (buying) grain and selling (selling) grain. Originally very cheap food, as long as the country collects and stores it in large quantities, the price will rise, that is, "the hidden is heavy"; On the other hand, when food is expensive, the country sells it in large quantities, and the price will fall again, that is, "Mao Dan" (see Yidu). In this way, the state can control the camera and "pat" it at the right time and in the right area; Or on the other hand, the operation of "leveling with base" can achieve the purpose of stabilizing prices, adjusting surplus and deficiency, and increasing national income, that is, the so-called "people control grain coins and gold balance, and the world can be determined" (see Mountain to Number).
Take the example in Light and Heavy Ding as an example. That year, the western part of Qi was famished due to floods, and the eastern part was impoverished due to bumper harvests. At this time, the state can collect and store a large number of valleys in Qidong and sell them to the people in Qixi. The grain price in Qidong will rise because of the large national storage, which can solve the harm of cheap grain to farmers. On Tanabata, because the country sells grain cheaply, "the hungry in the west get food, and the cold get clothes." However, in the case of cheap food hurting farmers, it is not enough to rely solely on the state's purchasing and storage power. It is also necessary to order the scholar-officials and wealthy businessmen to buy and store them in a specified quantity, so that "the princes of Qing Dynasty hid thousands of clocks, the doctors hid 500 clocks, the doctors hid hundreds of clocks, and the wealthy businessmen hid 50 clocks". Only with such a large reserve can food prices rise. Due to such a large number of acquisition and storage activities, there will inevitably be a shortage of money in the market, and then the country can solve it by issuing new money. The distribution channel not only makes coins circulate through state acquisition, but also through the payment of monetary wages to the literati. In this way, the supply of goods and money will be adjusted up and down, "then a country's grain capital is above, and monetary capital is below", and the rise in food prices is a foregone conclusion. At this time, "the national valley is even times, and the number is also." Guan Zi summed up this macro-control with monetary leverage very clearly in the article "National Reserve": "So the wealth of a country is controlled according to its envy (surplus), while food is fed with money, and cloth is covered with money, depending on the weight of things, so the nobility is adjustable and the monarch benefits."
In addition to the relative rights between money and commodity prices, the state can also use credit as an economic lever to stabilize prices, adjust surplus and deficiency, and curb profiteering of profiteers and usurers, thus helping people to produce and operate. Part of the profits generated in circulation can be nationalized and part can be distributed to the people. Specific measures include: giving farmers loans for production funds during spring ploughing and busy farming, and paying the down payment in advance, that is, the so-called "those who have no food give old money, and those who have no seeds borrow new money", or renting some means of production and means of subsistence to farmers for use, and farmers pay certain interest and recover after autumn.
Guanzi is also good at managing international trade. The important method is to pay close attention to the market situation of various countries, make full use of the price policies in the changing trend of price comparison of various related materials, and encourage the import or export of a certain material according to the needs of the country, so that all the resources and materials in the world can be used by us, that is, the so-called "rule the world because of the world" (see "Light and Heavy Ding"). If the country needs to use certain materials to encourage imports, it will take the opposite measures in the price change of "world high, world low" and implement the "world high" price. In this way, this material will be imported into China like running water. On the contrary, for materials that need to be encouraged to export, such as fish, salt, equipment, etc. At an appropriate time, the price policy of "the world is high and I am independent" is adopted, so that the salt of Qi State can be exported to "the land of Liang, Zhao, Song and Wei Puyang".
In order to obtain all kinds of scarce materials that Qi is in short supply, gold can sometimes be accumulated as a means of purchase. So you can buy goods no matter how far away. Duke Huan asked Guan Zi, "I heard that there are thousands of horses riding in Yangshan." How can I get it? Guanzi knew that it would take 40,000 gold to get it, and Qi was not a gold-producing country, so Guanzi suggested that all the coins collected by China should be changed into gold, and the price of gold could be four for one. In addition, countries such as Liang, Zhao, Song and Wei, which are in urgent need of salt, all require gold to buy salt, because "countries without salt are swollen", especially countries at war, "salt is absolutely scarce", so they quickly accumulated 40 thousand gold, so they got a lot of horses (see Eight Changes). Guan Zi said, "Accumulated gold can not only buy horses, but also attract Yushan white jade, Korean tiger and leopard skin, wuyue pearls and Kunlun jade seven or eight thousand miles away. Finally, Guan Zi hit the nail on the head: If you are a country, you can't be rich in the world, and if you are a citizen of the world, then the country can't succeed.
To sum up, the starting point or theoretical basis of Guan Zi's series of policies to strengthen the country and enrich the people is the word "interest trend". He made it very clear in the article "Forbidden Tibet": "The feelings of husband and mortal people do not avoid seeing benefits, and they do not avoid seeing harm. Its businessmen all know Jia, but they do the same, night after night, and those who are thousands of miles away will benefit first; When a fisherman enters the sea, which is deep in Wan Ren, he will swim against the current and make a dangerous journey of a hundred miles. Those who spend the night will benefit from the water. So where is the benefit? Although the mountains are thousands of miles away, they are everywhere, and under the abyss, they are everywhere. " Since all people's economic activities are aimed at seeking advantages and avoiding disadvantages, the fundamental task or the most effective way to govern the country, strengthen the country and enrich the people lies in taking advantage of the situation, taking interests as a lever and mobilizing all positive factors.
Another theoretical basis of Guanzi or economic guiding ideology is to fully understand the role of the market. He believes that through the market, we can not only see a country's production development level, economic strength, price changes, material surplus and shortage, but also see social chaos and people's opposition. He clearly pointed out in "Riding a Horse": "Market makers can know how much to control chaos" and "ten thousand people can benefit from it." The position and function of the market are no less than the material production of farmers and workers. "If the Tao is secret, things will live without gathering." So he regards the market as very important: "Without the market, there will be a shortage of people" (see riding a horse); With the market, everything is connected; Everything is connected, then everything is transported; Everything is lucky, then everything is cheap; If everything is cheap, everything can be caused. If everything can be achieved, the world can be ruled.
The economic thought of Guanzi is very advanced and subtle and insightful in terms of the conditions at that time.
Let's talk about the tax system. In Guan Zi's view, national taxes can be roughly divided into two types: one is mandatory and the other is voluntary. Compulsory, in addition to land tax, there are housing tax, livestock tax, poll tax, fruit tax and so on. For this kind of compulsory tax, Guan believes that it should be levied as little as possible or exempted. Because these compulsory taxes have certain negative effects. So, what taxes should the state levy to enrich the financial resources of the state treasury to meet the expenses of the state machinery? Guan believes that the best tax form is indirect tax, which makes people only "see what they get, but not what they take". In other words, through the special collection method, people can only see the benefits given by the state, but can't see the act of taking it away. The people not only pay this tax voluntarily, but also ask for it. At that time, such taxes in Qi State included salt and iron tax, fishery tax and Shanze specialty tax.
As for the lever of money, Guanzi mainly grasps the interaction of "money is heavy, everything is light, money is light, everything is heavy" by using the corresponding relationship between it and commodities, so it is regulated in a planned and step-by-step manner between light and heavy. The specific operation method is to buy when it is light (cheap) and sell when it is heavy (expensive). Once the state is involved, the price will develop in the opposite direction by collecting (buying) grain and selling (selling) grain. Originally very cheap food, as long as the country collects and stores it in large quantities, the price will rise, that is, "the hidden is heavy"; On the other hand, when food is expensive, the country sells it in large quantities, and the price will fall again, that is, "Mao Dan" (see Yidu). In this way, the state can control the camera and "pat" it at the right time and in the right area; Or on the other hand, the operation of "leveling with base" can achieve the purpose of stabilizing prices, adjusting surplus and deficiency, and increasing national income, that is, the so-called "people control grain coins and gold balance, and the world can be determined" (see Mountain to Number).
Take the example in Light and Heavy Ding as an example. That year, the western part of Qi was famished due to floods, and the eastern part was impoverished due to bumper harvests. At this time, the state can collect and store a large number of valleys in Qidong and sell them to the people in Qixi. The grain price in Qidong will rise because of the large national storage, which can solve the harm of cheap grain to farmers. On Tanabata, because the country sells grain cheaply, "the hungry in the west get food, and the cold get clothes." However, in the case of cheap food hurting farmers, it is not enough to rely solely on the state's purchasing and storage power. It is also necessary to order the scholar-officials and wealthy businessmen to buy and store them in a specified quantity, so that "the princes of Qing Dynasty hid thousands of clocks, the doctors hid 500 clocks, the doctors hid hundreds of clocks, and the wealthy businessmen hid 50 clocks". Only with such a large reserve can food prices rise. Due to such a large number of acquisition and storage activities, there will inevitably be a shortage of money in the market, and then the country can solve it by issuing new money. The distribution channel not only makes coins circulate through state acquisition, but also through the payment of monetary wages to the literati. In this way, the supply of goods and money will be adjusted up and down, "then a country's grain capital is above, and monetary capital is below", and the rise in food prices is a foregone conclusion. At this time, "the national valley is even times, and the number is also." Guan Zi summed up this macro-control with monetary leverage very clearly in the article "National Reserve": "So the wealth of a country is controlled according to its envy (surplus), while food is fed with money, and cloth is covered with money, depending on the weight of things, so the nobility is adjustable and the monarch benefits."
In addition to the relative power between money and commodity prices, the state can also use credit as an economic lever to stabilize prices, adjust surplus and deficiency, and curb profiteering by profiteers and usurers, thus helping the people to produce and operate. Some of the profits generated in circulation can be nationalized and some given to the people. Specific measures include: giving farmers loans for production funds during spring ploughing and busy farming, and paying the down payment in advance, that is, the so-called "those who have no food give old money, and those who have no seeds borrow new money", or renting some means of production and means of subsistence to farmers for use, and farmers pay certain interest and recover after autumn.
Guanzi is also good at managing international trade. The important method is to pay close attention to the market situation of various countries, make full use of the price policies in the changing trend of price comparison of various related materials, and encourage the import or export of a certain material according to the needs of the country, so that all the resources and materials in the world can be used by us, that is, the so-called "rule the world because of the world" (see "Light and Heavy Ding"). If the country needs to use certain materials to encourage imports, it will take the opposite measures in the price change of "world high, world low" and implement the "world high" price. In this way, this material will be imported into China like running water. On the contrary, for materials that need to be encouraged to export, such as fish, salt, equipment, etc. At an appropriate time, the price policy of "the world is high and I am independent" is adopted, so that the salt of Qi State can be exported to "the land of Liang, Zhao, Song and Wei Puyang".
In order to obtain all kinds of scarce materials that Qi is in short supply, gold can sometimes be accumulated as a means of purchase. So you can buy goods no matter how far away. Duke Huan asked Guan Zi, "I heard that there are thousands of horses riding in Yangshan." How can I get it? Guanzi knew that it would take 40,000 gold to get it, and Qi was not a gold-producing country, so Guanzi suggested that all the coins collected by China should be changed into gold, and the price of gold could be four for one. In addition, countries such as Liang, Zhao, Song and Wei, which are in urgent need of salt, all require gold to buy salt, because "countries without salt are swollen", especially countries at war, "salt is absolutely scarce", so they quickly accumulated 40 thousand gold, so they got a lot of horses (see Eight Changes). Guan Zi said, "Gold accumulation can not only buy horses, but also attract Yushan white jade, Korean tiger and leopard skin, wuyue pearls and Kunlun jade seven or eight thousand miles away. Finally, Guan Zi hit the nail on the head: If you are a country, you can't be rich in the world, and if you are a citizen of the world, then the country can't succeed.
To sum up, the starting point or theoretical basis of Guan Zi's series of policies to strengthen the country and enrich the people is the word "interest trend". He made it very clear in the article "Forbidden Tibet": "The feelings of husband and mortal people do not avoid seeing benefits, and they do not avoid seeing harm. Its businessmen all know Jia, but they do the same, night after night, and those who are thousands of miles away will benefit first; When a fisherman enters the sea, which is deep in Wan Ren, he will swim against the current and make a dangerous journey of a hundred miles. Those who spend the night will benefit from the water. So where is the benefit? Although the mountains are thousands of miles away, they are everywhere, and under the abyss, they are everywhere. " Since all people's economic activities are aimed at seeking advantages and avoiding disadvantages, the fundamental task or the most effective way to govern the country, strengthen the country and enrich the people lies in taking advantage of the situation, taking interests as a lever and mobilizing all positive factors.
Another theoretical basis of Guanzi or economic guiding ideology is to fully understand the role of the market. He believes that through the market, we can not only see a country's production development level, economic strength, price changes, material surplus and shortage, but also see social chaos and people's opposition. He clearly pointed out in "Riding a Horse": "Market makers can know how much to control chaos" and "ten thousand people can benefit from it." The position and function of the market are no less than the material production of farmers and workers. "If the Tao is secret, things will live without gathering." So he regards the market as very important: "Without the market, there will be a shortage of people" (see riding a horse); With the market, everything is connected; Everything is connected, then everything is transported; Everything is lucky, then everything is cheap; If everything is cheap, everything can be caused. If everything can be achieved, the world can be ruled.
What is the main content of Mozi's economic thought?
(a) The concept of "undifferentiated" in social equality
In Mozi's view, the country has no size and the people have no dignity. "Today, there are no big or small countries, and the cities of the heavens are also; Everyone is a teacher. " (2) People are equal and fair in the process of social and economic communication. "The strong don't hold the weak, the masses don't rob the rich, the rich don't bully the poor, the noble are not arrogant, and the deceiver doesn't bully the fool"; "Hungry people get food, cold people get clothes, and laborers get rest". ?
At the same time, Mozi extended the social ideal of pursuing equality on the basis of "no difference" Mozi explicitly demanded that the situation of monopoly of political economy by the aristocratic ruling class be broken, so that ordinary people also have the right to participate equally. He said: "The ancient sages ruled the country, while the Shang sages were virtuous. Although he is engaged in agriculture and industry, he will give up if he can, and he will be rewarded with high honor and high salary, and he will do whatever he wants. ? Therefore, at that time, we must be strong in virtue, be an official, pay the temple for work, and pay for work. " Mozi also criticized the Confucian thought of "kissing with skill, respecting sages and so on" and opposed the old system of slave owners and nobles monopolizing wealth and nobles by using patriarchal hierarchy. ?
Mozi's thought of "indifference" reflected the strong desire of ordinary people to achieve social equality at that time, expressed the expectation of working people to change their social status and living conditions, and expressed his ideal social relations, which can be used as the premise of his other economic thoughts. ?
(B) the understanding of production and wealth
1, social production is based on agriculture. ?
Mozi realized that labor is the essence of human beings, and only by engaging in material production can human society have material life. You can't live without production. In social labor, Mozi paid special attention to the role of agricultural production in the national economy and people's livelihood. He said: "The people respect the grain, and the reason why you raise it is also. Therefore, if the people have nothing to support, then the king has nothing to support; If people have no food, they can't do anything. " (4) Grain and flax "are the wealth of people's food and clothing, and there is no such thing since ancient times" (5). Therefore, the rulers should attach importance to farming and put agricultural production in the first place. At the same time, Mozi also realized that when agriculture is abundant and people are well fed and clothed, society will be stable and rule will be stable. "Slow farming will lead to poverty, and poverty will lead to chaos." 6. Agriculture is the foundation of social production. ?
Mozi put forward some suggestions on developing agriculture. First of all, wasteland should be reclaimed. "Stop digging and eat less." ⑦ "The road to national security begins with the road. If the land is in its place, it will succeed; If the land is not allowed, it will be busy. " The key to the development of agricultural production is whether the land can be used reasonably and whether it can give full play to its effectiveness. Secondly, we must ensure the time of agricultural production. If "farmers can't make ends meet and women can't make ends meet, it will be the loss of the country and the people will be miserable". Of all government actions, war has done the most damage to agricultural production. "Spring will abandon people to plant trees, and autumn will receive people." This also reflects the desire of the small production class for a stable life. Third, increase the agricultural labor force. At that time, there was a phenomenon of insufficient labor force and sparse population in society. Mozi analyzed that the reason was that the rulers "made the people work hard, but their members were thick, the people were short of money, and countless people starved to death." Moreover, "there are countless dead people in the siege field" {1 1}. Therefore, Mozi put forward that men are twenty and women are fifteen, and at the same time opposed the practice of vassal doctors keeping concubines. ?
2. The idea of trying to make money. ?
Mozi, as a small producer engaged in his own production, knows the hardships of labor and the truth of getting rich through hard work. He believes that productive labor is the basic means to create wealth, the foundation of human existence, and the difference between humans and animals. "Today's people are different, relying on strength is born, and strength is not bad. If a gentleman does not listen to the rule, that is, criminal and political chaos; The bitch is not strong, but the money is not enough. " { 12}?
Mozi also criticized Confucianism's attitude of belittling material production, saying that the advocates of Confucianism are lazy, "sometimes abandon things, be arrogant, gluttonous, and be lazy in doing things", which is bound to "be caught in hunger and cold, and be in danger of freezing to death" {13} In response to the Confucian view that "life and death are life, wealth is in the sky", Mozi retorted: "It lies in stubbornness. If it is Tang Wu, then the world will be ruled and it can be said that there is life! " {14} This reflects the idea that small producers strive to get rich through hard work. ?
On the basis of discussing the importance of labor, Mozi put forward the measures to develop production: first, carry out a reasonable social division of labor, so that workers can do their best and do their own things well; Second, play the role of technology in promoting material production; Third, pay attention to talents. Although Mozi did not put forward the division of labor between mental work and manual work, he did touch on this aspect. He believes that people engaged in management, education and other activities, like laborers, have promoted the development of material production and should enjoy the right to distribution.
(3) Understanding of distribution and taxation
Based on the idea of getting rich through hard work, Mozi advocated "sharing wealth with wealth" and opposed "not working with it or being practical" in distribution. "Although in agriculture and industry, if you can, you can give it, give it a high degree, and give it four questions? Reward the temple with labor and reward it with merit. " { 15}? "Into the people's garden, take people peach, plum, ginger, penalty, and the smell is not, what is it? As the saying goes, if you don't work hard, it's not because you have income. " {16}, the implication is that if you don't get your labor income, you will be punished. Therefore, Mozi condemned the "other king" who ignored the sufferings of the people and only cared about his own enjoyment, condemned the "measures to enrich the people to win them over" and "depriving the people of food, clothing and wealth" {17}, and condemned the "poor people" who were gluttonous and lazy to engage in it {18}. Mozi advocated "sharing wealth", "those who have the strength should help others, those who have the money should help others, and those who have the means should persuade others to teach others" {19}, and opposed "having spare capacity but not cooperating with others; Decadent surplus wealth is inseparable; Hide and don't teach each other "{20}. ?
In terms of taxation, Mozi believed that taxation was the economic source to maintain the normal operation of institutions at all levels of feudal rule. However, tax collection must follow the following principles: First, we cannot "collect thousands of people". The consumption of rulers and people are changing. The government collects more, but the people keep less. "The state is in charge of criminal law, and the government actually has money. There are people outside who think that Pippi has contact with the neighboring prince; Those who are hungry and tired will support the people and cherish the sages of the world. " It can be seen that Mozi's principle of dealing with the ratio of official tax to civilian tax is "the official government is practical" and "the people are rich", and the rulers should stop, and they can't satisfy their extravagant consumption by exorbitant taxes. Second, the "fee increase" is synchronized with the "Gali", that is, if the rulers increase taxes, they will increase social welfare, such as new water conservancy projects. This is similar to today's tax principle of "taking it from the people and using it for the people".
(D) "mutual benefit" exchange of ideas
During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, the commodity economy developed to a certain extent, and commercial activities such as selling on the ground and reselling by vendors appeared. "There are businessmen everywhere, and the market price is twice as high. Although it is related to the difficulty of the beam and the danger of the thief, it must be done "{2 1}. Mozi called this behavior" the merchant's investigation ",which is a manifestation of the merchant's wisdom. ?
Mozi thought: "It's not expensive to buy, saying it's against yourself." The price of a knife is the price. A knife is not expensive, but heavy. Wang Dao hasn't changed, just changed. Change your hair with age, and change your knife with age. If the price is right, sell it. People who try their best try not to sell. Sell it if you don't sell it. The price should not be what you want. "{22} This means that it is difficult to say whether a commodity is expensive or cheap. In the process of trading, knife coins and grain are mutually priced, and their prices are relative. Commodity prices are influenced by the value of money and the relationship between supply and demand: when money appreciates or supply exceeds demand, commodity prices will fall; When the currency depreciates or the demand exceeds the supply, the commodity price will rise. If the price is right, the goods can be sold, and whether the price is right or not depends on the buying and selling intentions of both parties. This passage shows that Mozi has realized that money itself is a commodity from the relative relationship between commodity prices and currency prices, which reflects the content of the law of value to some extent. ?
(E) "frugal" consumption thought
On the one hand, Mozi actively advocated production, on the other hand, he advocated frugality, and advocated the consumption concept of "eating according to the stomach" and "tailoring". In order to prevent excessive consumption of the ruling class, Mozi put forward three principles: first, personal consumption should be equivalent to one's own financial resources. "The poor learn from the rich, eat more and wear more, and soon they will die" {23}. Second, advocate "removing useless expenses". In his view, "going to the useless expenses, St. Wang Zhidao, is the great benefit of the world" {24}. Governing the country should start with the most serious drawbacks, so financial expenditure should be used where it is most needed. "If the country is poor, it will be buried with restraint" {25}. Third, "people who waste money and people are not good, so don't do it." That is, don't do anything that wastes people and money and doesn't bring more benefits to people. According to this principle, Mozi designed a set of consumption standards to maintain low living needs: for daily necessities, "enough for civilian use"; In diet, it is enough to "replenish qi and deficiency, strengthen legs and arms, and don't be smart"; In terms of clothing, "winter is surrounded by cold and summer is surrounded by heat", which can be warm in winter and cool in summer; In the building construction, "winter is surrounded by cold, summer is surrounded by summer rain", clean and hygienic, "enough to stop men and women"; Militarily, "surround thieves"; In terms of transportation, "cars can travel on land and ships can travel in valleys, thus extending in all directions" {26}. Regarding the festival burial, Mozi advocated that "the coffin is three inches, which is enough to rot; A dress with three collars is enough to ward off evil spirits. Like burial, it goes down to the spring and up to the spring; The ridge plowed and stopped. "{27}.？
It can be seen that Mozi's consumption theory is to control the living standards of people, including the ruling class, at the simplest and thrifty level. In Mozi's view, "its people are frugal and easy to govern, and its monarch is easy to support with money." Treasure is full, enough to stay otherwise "{28}.