Chongzhen revived the Ming Dynasty

Having grasped the importance of craftsmen, the courtiers finally began to accept it:
A worker can become a scholar.

Yuan Keli, who placed the greatest emphasis on firearms, also proposed:

"I believe that all artisans who have mastered firearms technology should be included in the ranks of scholars, and the court should support them to prevent foreign barbarians from learning it."

"We must not repeat the mistakes of the spread of iron technology; the spread of firearms technology should be strictly restricted."

Zhu Youjian nodded in approval, fully agreeing with it, and gave the order:
"The Equipment Department and the Embroidered Uniform Guard are jointly responsible for formulating relevant measures."

"Craftsmen who have mastered complete firearms manufacturing technology should be included in the imperial court's system of employing scholars."

"Firearms technology should also be disassembled as much as possible to reduce the number of people who can manufacture firearms completely."

"Furthermore, relevant technologies are classified into different security levels, and anyone who possesses classified technologies must report their departure from the country."

This is a further deepening of previous policies; Zhang Pu's top-scoring essay last year already put forward relevant suggestions.

However, Zhu Youjian believed that this was not enough and that management of these people must be strengthened.

The rise of scholar-officials in the vassal states, as mentioned earlier by Qian Qianyi, served as a reminder to him.

Technical personnel must be strictly controlled to prevent them from leaving the company.

Zhu Youjian added and emphasized:
"Technical personnel are not allowed to leave the country at will; any departure must be approved."

"They are also not included in the mandatory relocation program and must be ensured to remain within the country."

The Ministry of Works and the Ministry of Revenue were ordered to organize an agency to approve the entry and exit of technical personnel and personnel with access to classified information.

This completely contradicted the policy of forced immigration, and the court officials all recognized that the emperor valued technical personnel even more than scholars.

At least, the emperor did not make this requirement of other scholars, tacitly allowing them to go out and be recruited by the vassal states.

Minister of Revenue Bi Ziyan inquired:

"If these people meet the criteria for forced relocation, how should they be treated?"

"For example, if a technician breaks the law, he or she needs to be exiled."

Zhu Youjian said:
“Exile must be to inland garrisons, not to be sent overseas at will.”

"Furthermore, technical personnel should be included in the social security system to ensure their survival."

These words left the courtiers puzzled, and Han Kuang inquired:
What is social security?

How can we ensure their survival?

Zhu Youjian slapped his forehead, realizing that his ministers didn't understand these things, and said to them:
"You are familiar with the insurance that was previously implemented in some enterprises. I hope that it can be extended to every scholar in the future."

These words only confused the courtiers further, as many of them had not paid attention to this point.

Seeing this, Zhu Youjian had no choice but to have Zhang Pu, who had conducted research at the factory the previous year, explain the situation to his ministers in detail.

Zhang Pu was very familiar with this and immediately said:

"This is a policy that the imperial court forcibly implemented in state-owned enterprises."

"The insurance includes medical insurance, pension insurance, maternity insurance, work injury insurance, and housing provident fund."

"The reason why the staff and family residential area of ​​Tongzhou Ordnance Factory was built so quickly was mainly due to the housing provident fund allocated by the factory."

He carefully explained the policies implemented at the Tongzhou Arsenal and told the officials what social security was.

Only then did the court officials realize that the emperor had already implemented insurance and provident funds in enterprises.

Upon hearing this, Liu Zongzhou exclaimed excitedly:

"Children should be cared for, the sick should receive medical treatment, the elderly should be supported, and everyone should have a place to live."

“This is the beginning of a great utopian society. I believe it should be extended to all scholars.”

The other civil officials were even more surprised; they hadn't expected this:

It's astonishing that workers enjoyed these privileges before scholars.

These people felt very resentful when they thought about the treatment of retired officials in the Ming Dynasty.

Because they received no salary after retiring, the current emperor, being benevolent, decided to grant a salary to some retired officials. However, this was limited to those who had worked for the court, and even then, they only received one-tenth of the salary.

Now that they hear that workers have pension insurance and can receive a pension after retirement, these civil servants have expressed that insurance and provident funds should be extended to all scholars.

Zhu Youjian did indeed have this idea, otherwise he wouldn't have brought up social security.

How to support talented individuals and how to provide security for certain groups require specific policies.

He modeled his approach on later social security systems, deciding to first include scholars in the social security system:
All scholars should be included in the social security system, establishing a social security system from cradle to grave.

He described this scene to his ministers, who heard that they would have pensions when they got old, medical expenses would be reimbursed when they were sick, they wouldn't have to worry about getting injured, and they would even receive subsidies for having children...

They all felt that this should be implemented, and that the imperial court should establish such a protection system for scholars.

However, this puts enormous pressure on the treasury. Bi Ziyan, the Minister of Revenue, said:
"The imperial court is still only paying half the salary to officials in the capital, and it can't even afford to pay the full salary to retired officials."

"It would be too difficult to implement this policy, and the government cannot afford it."

This is a real difficulty, and some officials have even begun to complain, hoping for a raise in their salaries.

Previously, in order to promote subsidiary currency, Zhu Youjian decided to change the conversion of paper money to silver, issuing silver dollars and subsidiary currency as salaries, which was welcomed by officials.

Compared to paper money, subsidiary currency notes had far greater purchasing power. Since their issuance, their value has never fallen significantly.

These people were satisfied when their actual income increased.

However, they became dissatisfied again after learning that the imperial court's salary policy changed the amount of grain to silver.

The current salary is half of the prescribed amount of silver, which is actually equivalent to 50 cents of silver per shi (a unit of dry measure) at market price. Many officials consider this as receiving only half their salary and hope that the salary can be further increased.

Especially after the victory in the Liaodong War last year, when the court no longer needed to tighten its belt to supply Liaodong, some officials suggested further increasing salaries.

After the large-scale sale of land in the Liaohetao region, more people have raised this point.

They all believed that the court was now wealthy and should pay salaries in full.

As the Minister of Revenue, Bi Ziyan had heard many related remarks, and now he brought them up at the imperial lecture.

Zhu Youjian was very dissatisfied when he heard these words.

He has already increased salaries significantly, but there are still people who are not satisfied and feel that they have been mistreated by the court.

Does the imperial court currently have the financial resources to pay salaries in full? It's basically impossible.

Don't be fooled by the relatively low salaries of officials in the capital; the Ming Dynasty had far more than just the thousand-odd civil officials in the capital. The provinces, especially the military, were where the largest number of officials resided.

If all salaries were paid in full, the imperial court simply could not afford it.

Before fiscal revenue is stable, he cannot pay the full amount of salary; he needs to retain it as an incentive for officials in the Ministry of Revenue.

Of course, the demands of these officials could not be completely ignored. Zhu Youjian planned to use the pretext of supporting scholars to resolve the matter completely:
"The government's salary will gradually increase as the financial situation improves."

"However, the imperial court is currently facing financial difficulties and has not yet established a complete revenue and expenditure system. At most, it can only accumulate some windfall gains."

"Therefore, we must be cautious about spending and not increase it arbitrarily."

"However, the previously owed salaries also need to be accounted for."

"My intention is to include them in the five social insurances and one housing fund."

These words left the courtiers even more confused, unsure of the emperor's meaning. Bi Ziyan inquired:

What are the "five social insurances and one housing fund"?

"How can we include the owed salaries?"

Zhu Youjian smiled and said:
"The so-called 'five insurances and one fund' refers to five types of insurance and the housing provident fund."

"The housing provident fund is used for collective housing construction or home purchase. The five insurances include medical, pension, maternity, and work injury insurance, plus unemployment insurance."

"For businesses, if workers pay one-tenth of their income, the business will pay twice that amount."

"For court officials, individuals paid about one-tenth of their salary as social insurance and housing fund contributions, while the court paid twice that amount."

"In practice, the maximum amount paid is currently 70%, with the remaining 30% being directly included in the social security fund for unified allocation."

"Establish Daming Insurance Group, which will collect insurance premiums and manage the social security fund."

This was a group that had been in the works for a long time, and Zhu Youjian had planned to establish it long ago.

Originally, Zhu Youjian intended it to be a commercial institution, and corporate insurance was also a commercial activity, with each company paying its own premiums to the insurance company.

However, after deciding to support scholars, he realized that this idea was unsuitable. It was necessary to establish a unified social security fund and a social security system.

However, even establishing a dedicated government office wouldn't work, as Zhu Youjian didn't trust the integrity of Ming Dynasty officials. He didn't believe that social security would be sustainable after his death.

Therefore, he decided to add social security functions to Daming Insurance Group, exercising some government powers like the supply and marketing group, and being responsible for collecting and operating social insurance.

Scholars were responsible for oversight, and the social security fund was used to support scholars.

If insurance groups become corrupt, scholars will certainly demand a purge and restructuring of them.

While pondering the operation and supervision of insurance groups, Zhu Youjian had already heard some officials' doubts about certain insurance policies:
"Your Majesty, the establishment of old-age insurance and medical insurance is acceptable, but why is it necessary to establish a separate work injury insurance?"

"If you're sick or injured, you can go to the doctor; why create a separate treatment option?"

"And what about this maternity insurance? What does a woman's childbirth have to do with a man? Why does everyone have to pay for insurance?"

After this issue was raised, the court officials raised many questions. Most believed that establishing pension and medical insurance was sufficient, and everything else was unimportant.

They didn't even care about housing provident funds. Even a Ming Dynasty official who only received half a salary could easily buy a house with his annual salary.

Zhu Youjian listened to their suggestions and felt they made some sense. Establishing five social insurances and one housing fund in the Ming Dynasty at that time was indeed very advanced. After consideration, he decided:
“Housing provident fund is necessary. Industrial development will inevitably lead to urban development, and a large number of people will flock to the city. If housing provident fund is not established to encourage building houses, many people will be homeless.”

"As for work injury insurance and maternity insurance, individuals do not need to pay for these two types of insurance; they are only collected from enterprises."

This is a policy implemented in later generations; both types of insurance are paid by enterprises, and the rates are very low.

In order to simplify insurance collection, Zhu Youjian decided to adopt the same method.

However, he was very insistent on unemployment insurance, which was specifically added this time:

"Unlike agriculture, which involves cultivating land, industry and commerce are not as stable, and anyone can lose their job."

"To prevent people from being destitute and having no income during unemployment, all urban workers must pay into unemployment insurance and receive benefits during unemployment."

"For those who have paid contributions for a cumulative period of one year but less than five years, the maximum period for receiving unemployment insurance benefits is twelve months."

"For those who have paid contributions for a cumulative period of five years but less than ten years, the maximum period for receiving unemployment insurance benefits is eighteen months."

"Those who have paid unemployment insurance premiums for more than ten years can receive unemployment benefits for a maximum period of twenty-four months."

"If you become unemployed again after finding employment, your contribution period will be recalculated."

This is an unemployment insurance policy implemented in later generations, which is sufficient to alleviate the crisis caused by unemployment for some people.

In cities, people rely primarily on their jobs for income. Losing their job can create a crisis for a family.

Zhu Youjian knew how terrible unemployment was and emphasized the need to establish a social security system, including unemployment insurance.

Otherwise, if economic fluctuations lead to mass unemployment, it will bring a new crisis to the court's rule.

However, most of the officials owned land and were unaware of how terrible it would be for urban residents without land to lose their jobs; their understanding of this was not deep.

Many people felt it was unnecessary; as officials, they simply didn't understand unemployment.

However, Zhang Pu was very supportive, and after being called upon by the emperor to speak, he addressed the assembled officials:

"Employees engaged in industry and commerce do not have land or other means of production, that is, they do not have permanent property."

“Once they lose their jobs, they have no income and rely entirely on their savings to survive.”

“If these people are not provided with protection, they will become urban migrants.”

"To give those without stable assets a sense of security, unemployment insurance must be established."

This explanation was supported by Qian Qianyi, because he was the one who proposed the theory of permanent property.

Upon hearing the statement that "urban migrants have no permanent property," he fully supported unemployment insurance and even felt that the period was too short.
"Unemployment benefits are only valid for a maximum of two years, which is far too short."

"I believe we should give them more time to find jobs."

"Otherwise, if unemployment benefits stop, how will they survive?"

Zhu Youjian explained to him:
“One to two years is not a short time. People who are capable of living in the city can use this time to find a new job.”

"If you can still make a living after your unemployment insurance is stopped, then you can stay."

"Those who cannot make a living will be sent overseas by the imperial court."

Another group to be relocated has been identified: unemployed urban residents.

They will have short-term security, but if they are unemployed for a long time, they will be relocated overseas like refugees.

Of course, technical personnel don't need to worry about being relocated, Zhu Youjian emphasized:
"For ordinary workers, only unemployment insurance is provided; if they really can't find a job, they are arranged to go overseas."

"However, engineers and senior craftsmen are not allowed to leave the country and need to be supported by the imperial court."

"If these people cannot find a job within two years, the imperial court will organize recruitment and arrange for them to work in state-owned enterprises or the military, doing whatever work they are capable of."

"To prevent them from being recruited by other countries and the leakage of Ming Dynasty technology."

This measure was clearly a preferential treatment for workers, and the courtiers were all somewhat envious upon hearing it.

However, officials do not face the risk of unemployment unless they resign voluntarily or are dismissed by the emperor.

They are unwilling to pay unemployment insurance.

Guo Yunhou, Minister of Personnel, said:

"If officials don't have to worry about losing their jobs, does that mean they don't need to pay unemployment insurance?"

Zhu Youjian knew what they were thinking when he heard this, and said with some disdain:

"Some people don't even get sick, so do they not need to pay for medical insurance?"

"This is the overall policy of the imperial court, and insurance will be collected mandatorily according to the system from now on."

"You can't just say you don't need a certain type of insurance and therefore not pay for it; that would be too complicated to calculate."

This reason sounded somewhat farcical, but the Ministry of Revenue readily accepted it.

Whether it's taxation or mandatory insurance, a one-size-fits-all approach is necessary. If it's too complicated, implementation will run into problems.

Some officials in the Ministry of Revenue had by this time realized that the five social insurances and one housing fund that the emperor was forcibly collecting were essentially the same as taxes. The only difference was that the money would be returned to the emperor to ensure social stability. (End of Chapter)