Chongzhen revived the Ming Dynasty

By promoting social security in the name of supporting scholars, Zhu Youjian was setting up an insurance plan for the coming industrial era.

It is foreseeable that under his strong promotion, the industry and commerce of the Ming Dynasty will develop rapidly.

Without institutional safeguards, incidents like sheep eating people and labor movements will follow one after another.

The imperial court may not benefit from the development of industry and commerce; instead, it may be overthrown by those engaged in industry and commerce.

Unwilling to witness this scenario, Zhu Youjian resolved to implement social security, emulating later insurance and welfare systems to reduce the risks associated with labor movements.

Of course, at that time, the Ming Dynasty could not support too many people, and social security could not be fully implemented.

Therefore, he planned to support only a portion of the staff, especially engineers and skilled craftsmen who controlled industrial power.

These people were included in the concept of scholars and prospective scholars, and were obligated to be protected. Whether other workers were protected depended on whether they worked in state-owned enterprises.

In order to win the support of his ministers, he extended the protection of workers to scholars, which was Zhu Youjian's "cultivating scholars" strategy.

The courtiers were indeed very interested in this, although they did not understand many of the concepts the emperor had proposed. However, no one objected to the idea of ​​"nurturing scholars."

The imperial lecture on the 22nd quickly decided that the court would support scholars and establish a social security system.

The specific policy formulation was entrusted to the Planning and Development Committee, headed by Grand Secretary Han Kuang. He would formulate the plans and then delegate them to local authorities for implementation.

Although Han Kuang didn't quite understand this, after serving as Grand Secretary for two years, he realized that the emperor didn't need him to make decisions; he only needed to carry out the emperor's orders.

Of course, he needed to discuss this carefully with his other ministers beforehand.

You can't submit a plan riddled with flaws that would make the emperor think you're incompetent.

He convened officials from the Planning and Development Commission and discussed the matter with them.
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By this time, the Planning and Development Commission had become a massive organization. The heads of the government's departments responsible for agriculture, industry, and commerce all belonged to this commission.

The Hanlin Academy and the Academy of Sciences were responsible for the specific planning. The eight major academies and ten branch academies were all required to provide suggestions on areas related to their respective specialties.

Zhang Pu, who was in charge of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, was also the head of the planned economy group and could be considered one of Han Kuang's strategists.

Upon hearing Han Kuang's request, he immediately replied:

"The first step in formulating this plan is to change the household registration system."

Han Kuang was puzzled, but he wasn't stubborn and asked directly:

"How to change?"

What kind of household registration should be changed to?

Zhang Pu took notes while holding the lecture tablet:
"Change it as the Emperor said."

"First, there is the agricultural household registration system. On Han Gong's advice, the Emperor set a limit of 200 million for the agricultural population."

"This was proposed by Han Gong. The first step is to determine agricultural household registration."

This was indeed Han Kuang's suggestion, which led to policies such as the relocation of surplus population.

Han Kuang was quite pleased with himself for having his suggestion become a court decision, and said with a smile:
"That's certainly the case; the first step is to establish agricultural household registration."

Previously, households in the Ming Dynasty were divided into three categories: civilian households, military households, and artisan households.

"Households should be divided into agricultural and non-agricultural categories to facilitate the relocation of surplus people."

At this moment, Bi Ziyan, the Minister of Revenue, said:

"Simply focusing on agriculture and non-agriculture is not detailed enough."

"If His Majesty intends to support scholars, a separate register for scholars should be established."

"Only in this way can we distinguish who is supported and who is not."

“We can also find out from the household registration which people are prospective scholars who are not subject to forced relocation.”

This argument has garnered much agreement, with many arguing that households should not be simply divided into agricultural and non-agricultural categories, but rather into scholar-official and civilian categories.

Li Daiwen, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works and head of the commercial group, said:

"Since the distinction between scholars and commoners cannot be made between agriculture and non-agriculture, we should simply abolish the categories of commoner households and artisan households and establish scholar, farmer, artisan, and merchant registers based on the categories of scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants."

“Apart from agricultural households, all others are non-agricultural households.”

This statement garnered support from some people.

However, some people object, arguing that the changes are too drastic and the public may not be able to adapt.

Officials in the Ministry of Revenue, in particular, had many doubts about this. This was because the household registration system of the Ming Dynasty was mainly for the purpose of conscripting corvée labor, that is, assigning households to perform corvée labor, with each type of household registration corresponding to different types of corvée labor.

Without this distinction, it would be difficult for the imperial court to conscript people for service.

Moreover, some people are difficult to classify according to the traditional division of scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants.

How should households with different registration types, such as those belonging to medical professionals, entertainers, or those with mixed ancestral and yin-yang relationships, be classified?
Some officials considered backing down because of the difficulty of redividing all household registrations.

At this point, Chen Jiru, who had been invited to the meeting, said:
"The parliamentary elections also distinguish between scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants, and the proportion of members is divided according to their industry."

"I think it should be divided like this, to make future elections easier."

Once this reason was given, those who had previously opposed it immediately fell silent.

Establishing a parliament is a national policy, a major undertaking to restore the rites and music system.

Anything that does not conform to this grand plan must be changed under the guise of restoring rites and music.

They didn't want to be labeled as opposing the restoration of ritual music just because they were lazy.

Grand Secretary Han Kuang said:

"The household registration system should be reformed and divided according to the groups elected to parliament."

"Members of Congress are classified according to the social class of scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants. Their household registration should also be classified according to the social class of scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants. Military personnel with seats in Congress should be registered separately as military personnel."

"In the future, household registration will be divided into five categories: scholars, farmers, artisans, merchants, and soldiers."

This decision can be described as a final, decisive one.

Bi Ziyan, Minister of Revenue, said:

"Should we still set up artisan households?"

"If we change to worker status, will the craftsman's wages still be collected?"

Shang Zhouzuo, Minister of Works:

"The silver for craftsmen has long been unavailable. The Emperor changed the system and started paying salaries to craftsmen working in government-owned enterprises."

"Now they're going to implement service vouchers, and people will have to use those vouchers to serve in the future."

"From now on, industrialists and businessmen will be charged service vouchers."

This was decided on recently, and it seems to suit us very well now.

After the artisans are no longer required to serve in shifts, their corvée labor will be collected through substitute labor certificates.

The fact that their company produced corvée labor supplies meant that they were serving in the military.

This change made the establishment of artisan households less necessary, and they could be completely replaced by worker registration.

However, besides artisans, there were many other types of household registrations in the Ming Dynasty. These included medical households, musician households, kitchen households, and yin-yang households, and they were all required to perform corvée labor according to their household registration classifications.

These people are neither farmers nor scholars, but it would be inappropriate to call them workers or merchants either. How should they be classified?
Bi Ziyan, Minister of Revenue, said:

"The division into scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants is too simplistic."

"What category should these people's household registration belong to?"

Everyone was momentarily at a loss, but Zhang Pu offered a suggestion:

“Occupations can be added to the household registration. For example, craftsmen can be divided into carpenters, stonemasons, blacksmiths, etc. Doctors and musicians are also occupations, and they can be recruited when needed.”

"Anyone with a vocational skills level certificate can be included in the worker registration."

They intend to expand their working-class base and increase their supporters.

He even suggested that a special register of artisans be maintained to facilitate the court's recruitment of artisans for service.

"Engineers belong to the scholar class, as do senior craftsmen who have received honors."

"What about senior craftsmen who haven't received a medal? I think we could establish a separate register for them."

“These people are highly skilled and are talents whom the Emperor has instructed not to let leave the country.”

“Establishing a separate register for artisans would make it easier to recruit them.”

"If they lose their jobs in the future, they can work for the imperial court as artisans."

"To prevent them from leaving the country when they have nowhere else to turn and leaking the technology." This suggestion was agreed upon by some officials because it was the emperor's instruction.

Another group of people felt it was unnecessary; they valued supporting scholars, not supporting workers.

In the eyes of these people, a craftsman is a craftsman, and there is no need to set up a separate craftsman register in the workers' register.

However, Zhang Pu's problem also raises a thought-provoking question:
That is, after engineers and some senior craftsmen were included in the scholar-official register, how should the court select highly skilled craftsmen if it wanted to recruit them?

Previously, we could simply select from artisans; what should we do in the future?
Zhang Pu persuaded them by saying:
"His Majesty said that scholars come from farming, industry, commerce and trade, and their professions can be noted."

"For example, if an engineer was once a craftsman, and he can become an engineer and a scholar, his skills must be more advanced than those of an ordinary worker. The court can recruit such scholars."

"Add an occupation column to the household registration book so that the imperial court can conscript them when needed."

This is one solution, but Bi Ziyan, the Minister of Revenue, said:

"Occupations can change; if they don't change, they'll remain under the old household registration system."

"If things change, we'll have to keep changing our household registration book."

"The Ministry of Revenue and the Imperial Guard are likely to be too busy."

This is indeed a rather troublesome matter, especially considering the costs and burdens associated with frequently changing one's household registration.

If the government doesn't charge a fee, it will increase its costs; if it does, frequent changes of household registration will disturb the people.

Everyone felt that the registration system should not be changed too frequently, and many people thought that the old household registration system was good and made it easier to conscript people for military service.

But it can't remain unchanged, as the new household registration system is related to the parliamentary elections.

We must find a way to make the new household registration system suitable for elections and military service.

Ultimately, it was Zhang Pu's suggestion that was accepted by everyone:

"Many household registrations are no longer needed; the imperial court does not need those with household registrations to serve."

“This type of household registration can be completely abolished. Only those professions that require specialized training, such as medical and entertainment households, should be included in the household registration book.”

"When the imperial court needs these people to serve, it can recruit them with money. Only when it cannot recruit them will it forcibly conscript them, and conscript them for corvée labor according to the occupations listed in the household register."

This was a last resort, and it effectively preserved a portion of the secondary household registrations.

Compared to the previously difficult-to-change household registration, occupation is much easier to change. Even household registration can be changed; agricultural, industrial, and commercial registrations, excluding military and civilian registrations, can be interchanged.

Even regarding the status of scholars, Zhang Pu suggested using different household registration books with more detailed information:
"According to the Emperor, outstanding talents in agriculture, industry, commerce and other fields can become scholars."

"Most of the talents needed by the imperial court come from them."

"I believe that the household registration book of public servants should be more detailed, indicating information such as occupation and background."

“Household registrations can be reissued for public servants every so often.”

"When there is a real need for talent, we will recruit directly from the registered scholars."

This suggestion was approved by everyone. Chen Jiru was overjoyed and said:
“The household registration of officials can indeed be more detailed, and the Ministry of Revenue can keep up with the work.”

"The information in the public household registration book can be updated every ten years."

"When a citizen is promoted to the rank of 'citizen,' a promotion ceremony can be held, and new household registration books will be issued annually to determine how many people have been promoted to the rank of 'citizen.'"

This suggestion was met with nods of approval from Bi Ziyan and other officials of the Ministry of Revenue. They felt that if they were only responsible for the scholars, they could manage the workload.

However, there is a problem, he asked:

"What about the prepared scholars?"

"Based on public servant household registration or citizen household registration?"

After considering it for a moment, Zhang Pu said:

"I think it's more appropriate to register it as a citizen's household registration."

"The number of reserve scholars appointed by the Emperor is too large, and they are all like public officials, which cannot be managed."

"Why not list them separately on the household register, and add those who are preparing to become scholars directly?"

"But they were still farmers, artisans, and merchants, not scholars."

This suggestion was widely accepted, and the final result was the addition of a "political affiliation" column to the household registration booklet. Those who received a citizen's household registration booklet were automatically considered citizens. After becoming a prospective scholar, they could write their name and affix their seal in this column, directly marking it as such.

If one were to advance further and become a scholar, one would need to change one's household registration book and write down more detailed information.
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Now that we've covered the major issues, there are still some minor ones.

For example, religious figures have seats in parliament, which are reserved for scholars.

There was much debate among them about whether religious figures should be included among the scholars.

Han Kuang looked at Xu Guangqi and asked him:

"Scholar Xu is religious. What kind of household registration do you think religious people should have?"

Xu Guangqi, noticing the way everyone was looking at him, considered his words carefully and then said:
"The number of seats for religious figures in parliament is classified as belonging to the gentry in the division of parliament."

“They can be registered as priests and called priests.”

This statement drew opposition from Qian Qianyi, who was in charge of the Hanlin Academy. He said:

“If all of them are registered as scholars, there will be too many religious scholars.”

“I think only priests who have obtained ordination certificates should be registered as priests.”

"The others are prepared priests, just as prepared scholars."

“The number of priests is limited, and it is determined by the number of ordination certificates.”

The number of clergy is strictly limited, and those without a certificate can only be called prospective clergy.

This was clearly more in line with the court's policy. Xu Guangqi, who had just managed to salvage some of his reputation, dared not openly favor religion at this time, and could only say:

“Clerks and prospective clerks should be able to pay social security and be included in the clergy support group.”

After thinking it over, Qian Qianyi agreed:

"can!"

“Let’s follow the policy for businesses, with the priests paying part of the contribution and the temples paying the rest.”

"Speaking of which, although the social security fund has not been established, it already has a deficit, and someone should be found to make up for it."

This statement drew surprise and doubt from everyone. Han Kuang said:
"What deficit?"

"How can there be a deficit before it's even established?"

Qian Qianyi explained:

"The Emperor has been paying half of his salary over the past few years into social security."

"This money will all be invested in the social security fund."

“If the Ministry of Revenue does not make up for this money, there will naturally be a deficit.”

This was something he discovered during a conversation with his disciples, and once it was brought up, it immediately made everyone realize its significance:

Previously unpaid salaries were treated as social security contributions. If this money were not in the social security fund, it would result in a deficit.

It can be said that the social security fund already had a shortfall even before it was established.

We must find a way to make up for this money in order to keep the business running.

The Ministry of Revenue was clearly unwilling to pay this amount, so Qian Qianyi suggested that the religious authorities pay it, allowing those wealthy priests to fill the gap.

This proposal was unanimously approved by the officials present.

Filling this gap is essentially paying back salaries, so how could they possibly disagree?
They unanimously agreed that religious figures who wish to be included in the caste system and enjoy its benefits must make up for this deficit.

Qian Qianyi even invented a theory for this:
"Some religious donations are used for disaster relief, but much of them are squandered."

"Instead of letting them misuse it, it's better to put it into the social security fund and use it for good."

“The priests’ birth, old age, sickness and death can also be guaranteed.”

It is suggested that religious donations be collected and included in the social security fund.

This has garnered support from many officials who want religious donations to supplement the social security fund.

The specific percentage to be collected can be discussed with the various religious denominations. It is believed that those clergy also wish to be protected and respected.

Furthermore, at Qian Qianyi's suggestion, a "religious belief" column was added to the household registration book to facilitate the collection of additional taxes from those who did not adhere to orthodox religions. (End of Chapter)