stonecrandall Chapter 952 The Ministry of Commerce was also established, but it had a position but no power!
Chapter 952 The Ministry of Commerce was also established, but it had a position but no power!
As tranquility returned to the study, Gao Yao strolled alone to the window, gazing out at the deepening night, his thoughts drifting to the broader strategic plan for governing the country. For him, the newly incorporated counties were like blank slates, requiring the re-establishment of a complete and efficient governing structure. From the most basic tasks of road repair and water conservancy development and dismantling, to the complexities of official transfers and assessments, to the vital issues of food reserves and regional allocations, and even the introduction and promotion of production-boosting technologies... each and every one of these challenges demanded urgent solutions, each one crucially impacting the entire system.
His thinking particularly focused on the economic sphere. The Ministry of Commerce had already been established and given a formal official rank, a pioneering initiative for the era. However, Gao Yao was very clear about the department's core function: "making money," developing financial resources for the national treasury and operating royal and state-controlled industries. Unlike the traditional six ministries, it would not be overly involved in court politics or the decision-making of major national policies. Granting it official status was primarily to confer legitimacy and authority on its "state-run" nature, facilitating the management and coordination of resources.
This essentially involves the state's control over key economic lifelines. Gao Yao's mind traverses the past and present. He clearly understands that throughout China's long history, highly profitable or strategic materials like salt, iron, copper, tea, and alcohol have largely been state-run or monopolized.
This was true of Sang Hongyang's state-run salt and iron industry during the Han Dynasty and the Tang Dynasty's liquor monopoly system. Their purpose was to firmly control these crucial financial and strategic resources within the imperial court, supporting the vast state machinery while also curbing the powerful and preventing civilian forces from exploiting these resources and threatening central power. While these systems were at times eroded and controlled by aristocratic families and local vassal states, at their core, they always sought to maintain control of the ruling class.
Although Gao Yao possessed a modern mindset that transcended his time, he was remarkably resolute when it came to controlling the nation's economic lifeline, unwilling to make any dangerous moves. He understood these two fundamental differences. He supported encouraging private commerce and revitalizing the local economy, which was one of his primary motivations for establishing the Ministry of Commerce. However, the production, wholesale, and pricing rights for core commodities like salt, iron, important minerals, military raw materials, and grain reserves must remain firmly within his control. This was a matter of principle and could not be challenged.
"Greed is human nature," Gao Yao muttered to himself, as if trying to convince himself, or perhaps summarizing historical lessons. "Once this loophole is loosened, allowing large-scale private capital to intervene in or even monopolize these vital industries, there might be some initial efficiency gains, but in the long run, disaster is inevitable. Those wealthy merchants who control vast resources will inevitably use their economic power to interfere in government affairs, corrupt officials, and even form local power groups capable of competing with the central government. When the tail is too big to be eliminated, the accumulated problems are difficult to reverse. Aren't the lessons of past dynasties profound enough?"
However, Gao Yao was no pedant. He also clearly recognized the potential drawbacks of a purely state-run system. A lack of competition inevitably led to inefficiency, bloated bureaucracy, a lack of innovation, and a high risk of corruption.
He pondered silently. The current healthy development of his industry was largely due to the advanced technology and management concepts constantly provided by the mysterious "system" in his mind. This was a dimensionality-reduction advantage. However, Gao Yao remained wary: the system's rewards were not unlimited, nor were they always reliable. If one day, the system's technical support could not keep pace with the times, or if it failed to cover all areas, then the rigid and backward nature of this system that relied on administrative power to monopolize everything would be fully exposed, ultimately seriously hindering social progress.
This inevitably involves a key question: How to introduce vitality and competition while maintaining national control?
The concept of an agency system gradually took shape in Gao Yao's mind. This was exactly the economic strategy he planned to implement.
"It's time to let the Qingyi Society play another role," Gao Yao thought. He planned to use this secretive force not only to monitor officials and gather intelligence, but also to secretly investigate and screen suitable business talents.
"The first and foremost requirement for a candidate is a person of good character, a good reputation, and basic business acumen and management skills. Secondly, and most importantly, they must have a basic sense of identity and loyalty to the court and the king. At the very least, they cannot be potential opponents."
After identifying such individuals, Gao Yao plans to delegate sales agency rights for some non-core but vitally important goods to these vetted merchants. Initially, these rights could be "individual operating rights" for a specific category of goods in a specific region, similar to modern brand distributors. If the merchant demonstrates effective management, maintains a strong reputation, and pays taxes in accordance with the law, they could later apply for expanded scope, such as obtaining "regional master operating rights" for a county or even several counties.
Within this system, the imperial court firmly controlled the most crucial production processes, brand standards, and the warehousing and wholesale pricing of bulk goods. Individual agents were unable to control the goods at the source; they functioned more like extended tentacles and service terminals for official products in the market. This approach not only prevented private individuals from monopolizing supply, hoarding goods, and disrupting the market, but also fostered a healthy competitive atmosphere among agents focused on service quality, sales strategies, and customer relationships.
"Only in this way can we truly ensure that wealth is shared among the people without damaging the foundation of the nation," Gao Yao said with a confident glint in his eyes. He foresaw that if this model were successfully implemented, it would bring multiple benefits: the people would have easier access to quality-assured state-owned goods, improving their lives; the court's tax revenue would steadily increase due to the burgeoning business; and merchants who obtained agency rights would earn legitimate profits through their hard work, becoming a force for social stability and a pillar of support.
More importantly, a significant, hidden benefit lies in addressing labor employment, particularly liberating women's labor. Gao Yao noted that only in the three Nanhai counties, where the foundations were firmly established, had many women, thanks to his deliberate guidance and support, begun to leave their homes and work in workshops and shops. However, in the vast majority of newly conquered counties, the traditional concept of men farming and women weaving remained deeply entrenched, with women barely participating in socialized productive labor.
Once individual business ownership of various commodities is liberalized, a large number of retail stores and service outlets will inevitably emerge across the country. These jobs, such as sales, bookkeeping, merchandise sorting, and customer service, mostly require minimal physical effort and are well-suited for women.