The greatest achievement is economic freedom.
I thought the greatest achievement of the New Deal in the late Qing Dynasty was economic freedom. It is self-evident that there is no freedom in the modern sense in traditional or medieval China.
The freedom of the people of China began in the economic field. As far as traditional economic fields are concerned, China people can certainly run agriculture, commerce and handicrafts. However, there is an obstacle: restrictions on property ownership. The Great Qing Law inherits the tradition and clearly stipulates: "Where grandparents and parents are here, children and grandchildren will be beaten with a hundred sticks regardless of their property. Parents lose their relatives, brothers have no hukou, and the property is divided into 80. " The reason is: "grandparents and parents are here, and children and grandchildren are not allowed to have private wealth." If you are in mourning, your brother will still serve your relatives. If you don't establish a household registration and divide your property, you are unfilial and commit a crime of 180 sticks. Or let the family * * * wealth. "[iv] This is a regulation that seriously suppresses business enthusiasm. More seriously, the Qing government set up various obstacles for the development of the new economy. The outstanding performance is that all newly established industries, such as industry and commerce, transportation and finance, must be examined and approved, and monopoly privileges are often set accordingly, and private capital is not allowed to enter freely.
For example,/kloc-the main commodity of international trade in the 0/9th century is textiles. Together with opium, it was the main factor of China's foreign trade surplus in the19th century. In order to compete with foreign businessmen for profits, since the 1970s, the government and the opposition began to organize textile mills. 1890 Shanghai weaving was put into production, which is the first cotton textile factory run by China people. From 1876, when Li Hongzhang approved the preparation, it took 14 years after several twists and turns. 1880, in order to run such a factory, Li Hongzhang specially fought, and with the approval of the emperor, he gave the bureau a ten-year patent. "Only Chinese businessmen are allowed to set up joint-stock companies within ten years, and no other bureaus are allowed." [v] 1888, Zhang Zhidong set up a weaving bureau in Guangdong, so he had to call Li Hongzhang to negotiate: "After reading Shenbao, the layout of Shanghai was approved by the Zunban:' No other bureau is allowed within ten years'; Do you mean Shanghai in particular? Guangdong's official bureau is different from the commercial bureau; Moreover, the import of cloth is booming, which is beyond the scope of Shanghai Bureau. If Guangdong is used by Guangdong, I'm afraid it won't be given. When it does not infringe upon the interests of the Shanghai Bureau. Please reply quickly. " [vi] Li Hongzhang's answer is: "It seems harmless to set up an official department in Guangdong, because Guangdong is far from Shanghai." [vii] According to the stipulation that "no other bureaus are allowed", both sides' statements can't stand scrutiny. Li Hongzhang and Zhang Zhidong were the two most powerful governors at that time. In the atmosphere of society ruled by man and officialdom culture, contradictions were successfully resolved.
But if the problem is not really solved, others will not be so lucky to run a business. Guo Songtao was the first diplomatic envoy of the Qing Empire and a second-rate official. After retiring and returning to China, he said this in his letter to Li Hongzhang: "The convenience of ships is well known to the world. Stupid people, like Hunan people, have learned how to know their own benefits. So, ten years ago, the resistance was in the gentry; In the past ten years, it has been the government that has blocked the difficulties. Every three petitions ... people are not allowed to build anything. "The third petition was organized by Guo Songtao and has raised more than 20,000 yuan, but this shipping company still can't do it! [8]