Xinshun 1730

Chapter 1378 The Treaty of Versailles ([-])
Benjamin Franklin thought so.

He is indeed inclined to rationality and science, there is no doubt about it.

Even though his parents were Puritans, he has always advocated the Puritan spirit, but in fact he is not much different from Newton, and he is a believer in "unitarianism" or "pan-deism" who is anti-Trinity in his heart.Of course, whoever opposes the Trinity breaks the law in these years. Historically, it was not until the year when Siemens made the generator that the British legally declared those who opposed the Trinity innocent.

However, it is precisely because he is inclined to rationality and science, but economics is a new thing after all, so the more believers these days, the easier it is for them to have half-knowledge and wrong ideas.

Franklin looked at The Wealth of Nations 2.0 and thought it made sense.

But in fact, this makes sense. When encountering specific problems, it is often easy to think that you have only a half-knowledge, which makes you unable to think of deeper content.

Franklin went to Ireland and saw the decline of Ireland due to the devastation of the British mercantilism policy, so he believed that as long as he engaged in free trade, everything would be fine.

He feels that the current situation in North America is completely trapped by the British mercantilism policy, so as long as Britain and the United States engage in free trade, then the current situation in North America will definitely flourish.

However, the fact may not be the case.

Economics is chaotic with too many variables.

At this time, under the British mercantilism system, as well as the British navy’s superior navigation regulations for more than a hundred years, and the tariff issue was strictly scrutinized in the United Kingdom and under the loose environment in North America, North America has the “advantage” of free trade at this time. Will it continue in the environment after the old system is destroyed?

If the conditions of the past have changed, will the advantages of the past still be the advantages of the future?
Give the simplest example.

Take the rum distillery in New England, for example.

Now, the New England region must be dissatisfied with the "Sugar Tax Act" of 33, because they feel that the cost of making rum will increase.

So, without the Sugar Tax Act, they must be living happily ever after.

The problem is that thinking like this is obviously a desperate idea.

Take the past conditions, change only one, and then draw a conclusion.

However, things are universally connected.

Past conditions, changing just one, actually causes more variables to change.

For example, we all know that triangular trade makes money.

The rum in New England also developed through the triangular trade.

Considering only one variable, the Sugar Tax Act, it seems that as long as the Honey Act is outlawed, their rum competitiveness will continue to maintain an advantage.

but.

Because of climate factors such as ocean currents and monsoons, the "regular" or "standard" triangular trade is triangular.

From Europe, load cloth, wine, etc., and go to West Africa in exchange for slaves. This is called "departure".

Loaded with slaves from West Africa, they went to the sugar islands in the Caribbean, plantations in southern North America, etc., and sold the slaves for money and raw materials. This is called [medium range].

Loading raw materials from North America, or gold and silver from Central and South America, to Europe to sell, and then exchange for handicrafts, this is called "return journey".

This "standardized" triangular trade is supported by monsoons and ocean currents throughout the whole process, which can be said to be the most reasonable route throughout the process.

The rum in New England, on the other hand, belongs to the "triangular trade" in a large scale.

However, he is not a "standard" triangular trade.

Because, his route can and can only be filled with rum in Boston, sold in West Africa for slaves, shipped the slaves to the French sugar islands, sold the slaves for cheap molasses, and then shipped the molasses to New England to continue brewing .

If only one variable is considered and things are universally connected, it is easy to draw a conclusion mechanically and quickly: as long as the "Molasses Law" is banned, the advantages of New England rum will continue to expand.

In fact, this is a seriously wrong idea.

And it is a textbook-like machine, and a way of thinking like a boat seeking a sword-it is a way of thinking that is similar to the Chinese businessmen who went to Ryukyu after the defeat of Zheng Keshuang in history and brought excess goods but could not sell them.

Because, first of all, we must make sure that rum is a high-tech industry?
No.

The reason why the French don't rub rum is because France wants to protect the millions of grape workers in the country; the reason why Prussia doesn't rub rum is that the Prussian Junkers can't grow sugar cane but potatoes, so Prussia can only grow grapes. Rubbing potato burn, sweet potato burn.

Then, this kind of non-high-tech industry is nothing more than the cost of raw materials and labor costs.

So, what is the reason why the British rum industry is not as good as New England in the triangular trade?
It's very simple, because... the UK's tax inspections and smuggling inspections in the UK are much stricter and more comprehensive than the tax inspections and smuggling inspections in North America.

Historically, the collapse of the New England rum industry stemmed from the new sugar tax laws that were stricter, outlawed jury trials in North America, and customs rations.

So, here comes the question, is there no need for rum in West Africa?

Obviously, no, still have to.

Then the collapse of the rum industry in New England was essentially "because of the strict investigation of smuggling, the cost of raw materials increased, making them lose their price advantage and lose out in market competition."

Therefore, France does not rub rum, Prussia does not rub rum, Russia is even less likely to rub rum, the manufacturing industry in the Netherlands ended 50 years ago, and the handicraft industry in Spain is hard to say...

And West Africa, it's not that they don't want rum.

So, who's taking New England's share?
Obviously, England, Scotland, Ireland.

Because before, the cost of tax evasion in the UK was high, so the cost of raw materials was higher than that in New England.

After the new sugar tax law, the cost of raw materials in the UK has become equal to that in New England, and the labor price in the UK is much lower than that in New England.

At the same time, following the "standardized" triangular trade route, the shipping cost is lower, the capital turnover cycle is shorter, and the capital profitability is higher.

Therefore, as soon as the new sugar tax law came out, anti-smuggling was slightly stricter, and the customs made a little effort, the rum industry in New England died suddenly.

Well, the situation is the same now.

If free trade really started, and the sugar tax was abolished in the UK, how could the rum industry in New England compete with the UK?
That is to say, New England rum merchants, all think that their success is due to this reason, that reason, harder work, more talent... blah, blah, blah.

In fact, their success stems from the strict tax inspections in the UK and the absence of tax inspections in North America, resulting in higher prices for molasses in the UK than in New England.

That's it.

As the saying goes, the butt determines the head.

Where the buttocks sit, the brain-hip must not be separated.

Where does the smuggler's ass sit?

Smugglers must understand one thing - the country's mercantilism and tariff protection are beneficial to smugglers.

Smugglers will definitely oppose free trade.

The cost of raw materials caused by smuggling is higher than the normal tax place, and free trade must also be opposed.

One's own advantage is obviously the group of smugglers and those who evade tariffs and lower costs, but think that tariffs have harmed their interests. This is a typical brain-hip separation.

I don't know my real advantage, but I understand that the advantage caused by others paying taxes and not paying taxes is that I work harder and have more talent... This is very ridiculous.

And that's the way it is when you talk about carving a boat and asking for a sword.

Still the same sentence, the "Molasses Act" in 33, North America can't collect the tax at all, but the British side is strong in anti-smuggling because after all, it is homeland, so the "Molasses Act" in 33 was in name only in North America, but it was worthy of the name in the UK. Was the Molasses Act good for the New England rum industry?Or is it harmful to New England's rum industry?

But now, Dashun is shouting "free trade".

Liu Yu borrowed the words of the British to come up with "The Wealth of Nations 2.0".

And Liu Yu read Lao Ma's book. Lao Ma said that one of the chronic diseases of colonization is that it is impossible to separate labor from means of production in a short period of time, resulting in a small number of wage laborers and high prices.It is very difficult to develop capitalism until the population reaches a certain threshold.

Britain, on the other hand, has completed the separation of means of production and labor through the enclosure movement.

In terms of free trade, North America cannot compete with Britain.

This is a matter of principle.

Specific to small principles, specific details.

The so-called "free trade" that Dashun wants to carry out is to build the Netherlands into Europe's "financial center", "logistics center", "shipping center" and "customs port for East-West trade in Europe".

Cotton cloth accounts for more than [-]% of the industrial products in the triangular trade.

Then, if free trade is really implemented, England can also buy low-priced duty-free molasses. England also collapsed a large number of local industries because of the Dashun trade order, creating a large number of potential wage laborers. Rum is not What high-tech industry Britain's own technology accumulation is also very strong.

Then, obviously, why doesn’t the rum industry move to Liverpool, which is “closer to the coal area, more convenient to transport after the canal is completed, has a large potential wage labor population, has a developed shipping industry foundation, and is the central distribution center of the slave trade”? ?

Industrial products such as cotton cloth are refreshed in the Netherlands.

Why, then, are there any reasons why Liverpool merchants would not completely overthrow New England because of the proximity to Holland, cheaper local rum, and the advantages of ocean currents and monsoons at the start of the "regular" triangular trade route? Is the rum industry crushed?
Therefore, Franklin's rationality and science have become a subtle shortcoming here.

Talking about rationality and science is very good, very good.

But fear is fear, talk about rationality, talk about science, talk about hard work, talk about only considering a single variable, talk about these concepts that nothing is universally connected at all.

I think I am thinking about the dynamic world.

In fact, what he thinks about is a static world.And in a static world, make a variable, but think that the rest of the things will not change.

This is this time, for Dashun, the biggest advantage of the United Kingdom to allow Franklin to communicate with North America - Franklin worships reason and science, but does not understand what capitalism is, and his perspective is too static and lacks a developmental perspective. methodology of the problem.

Of course, if he doesn't talk about reason and science, it's not good.

…………

Franklin on the east coast is busy at the second Philadelphia conference, following the spirit of The Wealth of Nations 2.0 and the Albany conference, while building the North American regime.

On the west coast, under the guidance of some people from the Dashun New School who basically understood what Lao Ma said "how capitalism came about" but could not know "how capitalism didn't exist", Dashun has already started Created the basis for systematic West Coast immigration of the Americas.

To be precise, the building of this foundation does not start from now.

It started many, many years ago when Liu Yu participated in the border war between Dashun and Luocha.

First came the war between Dashun and Rakshasa.

Then the Whale Sea Company, which specializes in the profit of furs, was established.

After the demarcation of the Rakshasa trade, fur became popular.

The super high profit of sea otter skin (sea dragon skin) and the popularity of sea dragon skin have prompted Whale Sea Company to keep looking for fur.

Relying on Dashun's handicraft advantage, in exchange, to fight against the Raksha country's poor looting, and drive the Raksha fur merchants from the sea of ​​whales.

The Whale Sea Company gained primitive accumulation, and Dashun's soap and glycerin industry rose, which prompted the Whale Sea Company to require extremely low animal fats in addition to fur.

The pursuit of sea otter fur has finally crossed Asia, because Asia is basically gone, and began to purchase fur in the Americas to expand profits.

Because high-quality furs and valuable oils are located in the bitter cold of the north, the Whale Sea Company urgently needs food, fruits to prevent scurvy, and an excellent winter camp to survive the winter.

The methods of forced relocation and forced collection of grain by means of reclamation failed in some strongholds on the west coast, and a large number of farmers ran away, proving that the "fugitive slave law" and "tenant farming system" did not work in places with large land and sparse population.

It prompted Whale Sea Company to turn to Honolulu, hoping to use Honolulu's population, provide them with the food logistics supplies they need to develop, and at the same time serve as a wintering place in winter.

The infiltration of Honolulu, the introduction of production tools and organizational techniques, enabled Dashun to have a transfer station and supply station for the development of the west coast.

The previous 20 years of fur trading on the west coast also provided Dashun with a fairly good communication environment, and also trained a group of translators who can communicate with the aborigines on the west coast.

After the smallpox epidemic, the vaccinia relay with children as petri dishes also created a pretty good image for Dashun. Whale Sea Company did some calculations and found that exchanging commodities for furs was more profitable than catching or robbing them by ourselves, and it was much higher.

Historically, Russian Cossacks could not be exchanged if they wanted to, so they could only rely on robbing, or by cossackizing the village community to pull people's heads into the gang, and made a bunch of "animistic Cossacks" and "shamans" who couldn't even draw the cross. Cossack".

The conditions in Dashun are obviously much better.

So far, the foundation of the past 30 to 20 years has been laid, and now Dashun has started the new waterway project of the Yellow River—this project is definitely a super large project at this time, and it may take ten, twenty or even thirty years intermittently.

All of this finally allowed Dashun's west coast colonization plan to begin.

And the "fuse" of the whole plan.

It can, and it can only be a "gold rush".

The task of the fuse is only to start the incident.

In fact, the entire west coast immigration plan is based on the "orthodox colonial technique" criticized by Lao Ma.

Simply put, directly nationalize the wasteland on the west coast.

Through administrative orders, the price of land is artificially distorted.If it is not distorted, the land on the west coast, as far as it is concerned, no one wants a tael of silver and 1000 hectares.

Starting from mining, gold, silver and copper mines, through artificially distorted land prices, every penniless person who goes to the west coast—anyone who has two hectares of land outside Luoyang City will never go to the west coast to work—must Pay enough labor before you can exchange for currency, so as to buy a piece of land of your own.

And the money for buying the land goes into the "immigration fund", thus forming a relay - those who go first, work, and buy the land.The money for buying land is used as an immigration fund, and then new people are moved over to continue working and buy land, thus snowballing.

It can prevent the situation of "enclosing landowners in the New World hindering the development of productive forces" in the British colonies.

It can also ensure that in North America, where the means of production are readily available, there is still a steady stream of wage labor.

And because of crossing the Pacific Ocean, the cost is too high, which is frighteningly high.

A new colony has economic value and can complete the economic cycle, requiring a certain population base.

Therefore, the early immigration, or the fuse of the immigration plan, can and can only be gold, silver and copper mines.

The first step is prospecting.

The second step is to contract and rush to buy.

The third step is to rush to buy gold and silver mines, pay money to emigrate, and go there to mine.Only gold, silver and copper mines can make immigration across the Pacific profitable.

The fourth step is the imperial government's control and registration system. After five years of work, pay money to buy land.

The fifth step is to buy land money into the immigration fund and start to circulate until the population is enough to support the operation of trans-Pacific trade.

Historically, the Virginia Company, could grow tobacco.

As for Dashun, it is impossible to do so.To grow tobacco?Not to mention growing tobacco, but growing sugar cane. The trans-Pacific trade these days is a money-losing product.

The west coast of North America and Oceania are different.

The development of Oceania can be done in a disorderly way, relying on a spontaneous gold rush.

Anyway, now Dashun is stuck in the Cape of Good Hope, and the latitude and longitude astronomical positioning technology has matured, and it can be done spontaneously and disorderly, without spending a penny. After more than a hundred years, Oceania is also full of Chinese.

The west coast is different. It is necessary to use the strength of the country to complete the early immigration on the west coast and form a population advantage in a short period of time.

Ensure the population advantage of the west coast before the conflict between man and land explodes on the east coast of North America.

As far as the Dashun court was concerned, the population of Shandong, Henan and other places was placed there, so that when calculating accounts, it could only be calculated by subtraction, not addition.

Don't count "how much money immigrants made in the past".

Just calculate how many possible uprisings can be reduced by immigrating to the past.

Immigration itself is the meaning and the greatest economic value.

There is no need to consider how much tax these immigrants can collect in the past.

Taking history as a mirror, the end of the Meng Yuan Dynasty originated from the tossing of the Yellow River, and a one-eyed man came out of the tossing.

Now that Dashun is so courageous that he wants to toss the Yellow River again, since he has already started to toss, don't think about how much money he can make by tossing the Yellow River. Just think about not tossing until the Cyclops is dug out, and he will make a lot of money.

Therefore, this made Dashun's attitude towards the gold, silver and copper mines on the west coast very delicate.

In short, no loss is big profit, less loss is less profit, as long as people can be squeezed in, don't make a one-eyed man, make money and make money again.

And here, since the formal colonial law criticized by Lao Ma is to solve the chronic disease of colonization, it serves to establish the relationship between people such as capital.

Then, the owner of capital does not necessarily need to mine privately, and the Dashun court can also be the owner and user.

Based on not recognizing any private enclosures, not recognizing any land purchased by agreement between private individuals and aboriginal people, and through the one-step nationalization of mines, cultivated land, wasteland, and forest land, systematically practice the criticized "regular land" Colonial Law".

Relatively speaking, Dashun is quite familiar with this set of things.

If it’s really not possible, or if it’s really impossible to play with this method, it’s not impossible to understand the Chengjun Field Law: granting land, and serving in the mines on a regular basis.Just replace going to be a soldier with going to mine.Of course, this is really not an option.

(End of this chapter)