Sun Qiangqiang: Did China really restrain business in ancient times, and was business underdeveloped?

Yesterday, I read an article from a net friend, saying that the ancient rulers of China "emphasized agriculture and restrained commerce", and the commerce in ancient China was extremely underdeveloped. I read it halfway, and I was no longer interested in reading it. Full of cliches, it is not worth reading. My comment on writing to him is: lack of independent thinking, lack of in-depth thinking, superficial, and conformity.

To talk about China's views on economy and commerce in ancient times, the first thing to read is Guan Zhong, a book written by Guan Zhong and his disciples in the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period. This is a masterpiece of China's political economy, and it is the standard and guideline for guiding China's political economy to this day.

Secondly, I would like to talk about a sect and family school in hundred schools of thought, China-the light and heavy school. This "home" didn't appear in hundred schools of thought, and all dynasties eliminated it and ignored it. It's a pity.

why is this happening? Because the light and heavy family is too important for the country, as far as the current social science distribution is concerned, it belongs to political economy-the heavy weapon of the country, which is prosperous and lost. Such a heavy weapon is best in the hands of the state, so the ruling class in past dynasties ignored it when compiling academic works, as if it were insignificant.

But rulers always use it as a heavy weapon, because it is too important for national governance. It's just that the people below don't think independently and are confused. In fact, this is like a bikini worn by a woman. It is said that it is to cover the most important body part of "two key points and one center", but it is actually to highlight "two key points and one center".

Guan Zhong is the originator of the commercial society, and it was with his help that the State of Qi changed from a vassal state that suffered double oppression at home and abroad in the Spring and Autumn Period to the first rich tyrant. Guan Zhong helped Qi Huangong to "conquer the world with nine princes" and became the first of the "five tyrants in the Spring and Autumn Period".

Looking at the world from ancient times to the present, is there any country that can get rich by engaging in agriculture? Since China has been the richest country in the world for most of its history, is it possible that its business is underdeveloped?

since ancient times, the ruling class has repeatedly said: no agriculture is unstable, no work is not rich, and no business is not alive. This shows that business is not unimportant in the eyes of the ruling class, but very important, and it is one of the pillars of the country.

Some friends may say that Guan Zhong has repeatedly asked his subjects in his book that men should engage in grain production and women should engage in Sang Ma, instead of trumpeting about letting people engage in commercial activities.

I can only say that you are a member of all sentient beings who have become a mere formality from ancient times to the present and have not deeply understood Guan Zhong's theory. Guan Zhong said, grains eat rice, and the people are responsible for their lives. Gold knife coins, the common use of the people and food, are the masters of people's lives; Money is the people's means of trading. What Guan Zhong said about food should not be treated only as "food". If it is difficult to jump out of it, it will be impossible to understand its relationship with state governance and commercial activities. Only by jumping out of the literal meaning of food can you understand its relationship with business. In fact, the "grain" mentioned by Guan Zhong is the "monetary anchor" and the most fundamental foundation of the state system. Will the ruling class show it to people? Do you dare to let others master it for the sake of your own eternal stability? Even in today's society, if you master oil, you will master the world; If you master food, you master human beings?

Some people just want to say that China's ancient society suppressed commerce, that is, commerce was underdeveloped. For example, soon after the establishment of the Han Dynasty, the central government moved all the wealthy businessmen in the country to Chang 'an to control them. Then I can only say that you are a "good reader".

"Those who benefit from one hole are invincible; Those who leave the second hole will not be defeated; Those who make three holes can't dispatch troops; Those who leave the four holes will die. The first king knew it, so he blocked the people's support and took advantage of it. Therefore, give it to you, take it from you, be poor in you, and be rich in you. Therefore, the people wear it like the sun and the moon, and the relatives are like parents. "

-the economic rights and interests are under the unified control of the state, and such a country is powerful and invincible; Divided into two masters, the military strength will be weakened by half; If you master it in three ways, you will be unable to send troops to fight; If it is controlled by four families, its country will surely perish. The late king understood this truth, so he put an end to the people seeking high profits and restricted their ways of making profits. Therefore, it is up to the monarch to give and take, and it is also up to the monarch to be poor and rich. In this way, the people will support the monarch like the sun and the moon, and be close to the monarch like parents.

the country needs business, but business must serve the country. In terms of national stability and commerce, any ruling class will choose national stability first. Therefore, when the country is not stable, moving rich businessmen to Chang 'an will not only make them hostages, but also save the country's "interests" and help the country's ruling foundation to be stable; It can also make the business of the capital develop and develop. Tell me, is this the best choice for national rule?

China's greatest historical book, Historical Records, also wrote biographies of Huo Zhi in different categories. One of Confucius' greatest students was Zi Gong, a business genius, and Confucius paid special attention to Zi Gong. From the perspective of businessmen, Zi Gong lobbied diplomatically to prevent Qi Jian Zi from attacking Lu, which changed the historical trend in the late Spring and Autumn Period. Later, merchants changed the history of China, including Lv Buwei, Wu Shihuo, Shen Wansan, and Shanxi merchants' support to the Manchu Dynasty and their contribution to the Central Plains. It can be said that without the support of these businessmen to the founders, the history of China would be different.

We can also look at how developed China's ancient commerce was from another direction. Chang 'an and Luoyang, the capitals of the Han dynasty, had a population of one million, and there were many businesses and shops in the city, which were full of people. Later, the "Silk Road" in Guangzhou, Quanzhou and Chang 'an began to go global. After the grand canal was opened, the towns on both sides of the strait are still playing a role today; The prosperity of Goulan Wasi in the Song Dynasty and thereafter, and the commercial development in the south of the Yangtze River in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, even more surprised future generations. Especially the salt merchants in Yangzhou in the Qing Dynasty, according to economists' calculation, the commercial economy of a city in Yangzhou accounts for the weight of the world economy, and it takes about ten new york in the United States to be on a par. Can you imagine how developed the ancient commerce in China was?

Like the textbook "Two Children Debate Day" in our middle school, the world you see may not be the real world. China ancient commerce, which is very developed!