Confucius praised the most successful businessman in the history of green culture for showing off his wealth and monopolizing the trade war.

In the ancient East, there was once an excellent businessman who ruled this country. This big businessman is Guan Zhong, who was the teacher who helped Qi Huangong achieve the first hegemony in the Spring and Autumn Period.

Guan Zhong is a businessman. When he was in his twenties, he met his best friend Bao. At first, they were business partners. Because Guan Zhong's family is poor, he donated less and less. Business is doing well, but it was found that Guan Zhong paid off some debts with the money he earned first, and the money was spent before it was recorded. Now it is not far from corruption to ask accountants to sit on the table and pay off private debts with public funds. Even more exasperating, Bao gave him half of the bonus at the end of the year, and he accepted it without delay. This ruined the popularity of Bao's men. Someone told Bao that Guan Zhong usually earns less and spends more money. At the end of the year, he still shares the profits with you. His character is too bad to get along with him.

The man who scolded him said, "Your mind is full of money. Can't you see the difficulties of the Guanzhong family? " He needs money more than I do. I want to help him by doing business with him. I am willing to do so. Please don't mention it again. Supposedly, Bao is not a fool. He is willing to suffer this loss, mostly because he found that Guan Zhong is a great talent, and it is better to earn a small salary by himself than to go it alone.

Later, in order to commemorate the great friendship between Guan Zhong and Bao, another sentence was added, which means that friends have a deep friendship, know each other and cherish each other, love each other and kill each other.

Not to mention the basic situation of Guan Zhong and Bao, only that Guan Zhong was later appointed as prime minister on Bao's recommendation and became the first businessman-born politician in China history. There are three tricks in his "Businessmen Governing the Country" that have not been discovered before:

The first trick is to show off wealth and advocate high consumption.

Guanzi, written according to Guan Zhong's thoughts, is the earliest economic management book in China. The famous saying "granary knows etiquette, food and clothing know honor and disgrace" was first put forward by Guan Zhong. The most controversial one in Guanzi is Mimi, which reads as follows:

Qi Huangong asked Guan Zhong, "The world situation is changing. How can we govern the country according to the situation? " Guan Zhong replied: "The best way is to promote luxury consumption." This is the first time in the history of China that a politician has advocated luxury consumption. Guan Zhong himself is a hedonist. When I became a prime minister, I went out to be a luxury car, went home to cheer and clear the way, and enjoyed the standards of the monarch.

Guan Zhongniu's place is that he not only dares to show off his wealth in a high-profile manner, but also-many leaders in later generations advocate hard work and simplicity while eating, drinking and having fun in the deep palace. He also proved that this is the consumption of a country. Guan Zhong believes that eating, drinking and having fun is the basic desire of the people. Only when the country satisfies the people's desires and aspirations can it drive the people. If only people are allowed to wear animal skins and eat wild vegetables, how can they manage people? Unhappy people can't do their jobs well. Therefore, we should encourage the rich to eat the best food, listen to the best music, and even carve flowers on eggs before boiling them, and carve flowers on firewood before burning them. Don't block the opening of the mine, and the circulation of merchants should not stagnate. Let the rich squander, thus driving the poor to work. In this way, civilians can live without relief, all enterprises are very excited, and everyone has food. This cannot be achieved by the efforts of the people alone, and it needs the regulation of the rulers. Modern people see, isn't this the thing of Nima Keynesianism? Well, Uncle Guan may have crossed over. In a word, he advocates luxury not only because of his personal hobbies, but also because of his profound understanding of human nature and economy.

The second trick is to engage in monopoly and make money through state-owned monopoly.

The premise of showing off wealth is to have money. where is the money to come from? It can be said that Guan Zhong has rich imagination. As we all know, tax collection is hated by ordinary people. Guan Zhong's idea is that I don't collect taxes directly from others, but I get stuck in the needs of ordinary people and take money from monopoly. It is called "take it from the invisible, so that people are not angry." For example, everyone should eat salt every day. Qi is close to the sea and rich in salt. First, he focused on the salt in the sea and nationalized the salt industry. Turn the salt industry from private to state-owned and firmly hold the interests in the hands of the state. To this end, Guan Zhong calculated an account for Huan Gong: Qi has a population of one million, and everyone eats salt every day. According to this estimate, you can earn more than 2 million a day and 60 million a month. What is the concept of 60 million? It is equivalent to the sum of the monthly income of the two big countries in the Spring and Autumn Period. That is, I can get rid of two big countries with the full salt tax. Monopoly of salt and iron. Since then, state-owned monopoly has lasted for more than 2,000 years in China, and it has almost become the economic guarantee of centralization in past dynasties. As the saying goes, indulge in debauchery. After eating and drinking, it is inevitable that there will be other ideas. Guan Zhong began in the Spring and Autumn Period. Guan Zhong, the famous minister of Qi, was the first prostitute, that is, the brothel or X courtyard of later generations. Installation: Imprisonment is orderly, and "700 women" were once set up to assist military supplies.

As a politician, Guan Zhong carries out the system of "state-owned big X government" for four purposes: First, to increase government revenue through taxation. Second, alleviating and reconciling social contradictions and solving the needs of grassroots bachelors are conducive to social stability. The third is to recruit foreign talents. At that time, in order to dominate the world, governors had to recruit talents widely. But most of these talents are bohemian, love freedom and love women and wine, so the establishment of state-owned X Institute has become a means to attract them. The fourth is to entertain Qi Huangong. Qi Huangong is lewd, and his wives and concubines in the palace are tired of playing, so he has to come out for excitement. He said, "Huan Gong's uncle, who belongs to Guan Zhong in internal affairs and foreign affairs, has sent a woman to and from the city every day." Guan Zhong's founding of X Hospital also has the advantages of Qi Huangong. But the most important purpose is to increase fiscal revenue.

Guan Zhong's invention was quickly imitated by other countries and achieved great success. Later, many brothels regarded Guan Zhong as "grandpa" and set incense burners for him, hoping that business would be prosperous. This may be something that Guan Zhong never dreamed of.

The third measure is to like to fight trade wars.

The ancients said that there was no righteous war in the Spring and Autumn Period. At that time, fighting was commonplace, and Guan Zhong liked to use economic means to achieve goals that military means could not achieve.

For example, one day, he said to Guan Zhong, "Old Guan, Lu and Liang rely on us to help Qi, just like weeds on the edge of a field. Now I want to clean them up. How can I use soldiers? " Guan said slowly, "Your Majesty, it is not good to use force. Shandong people and Liang people have been engaged in textiles. Take the lead in putting on clothes made by Yi people, ask the officials around you to put them on, and the common people will follow suit. You should order Qi State not to weave cotton, but to import it from Shandong and Liang. In this way, Lvliang and China weave without agriculture. " Qi Huangong suddenly realized, so he began to dig a hole for Lvliang. Guan Zhong said to the merchants of Lu and Liang, "You sell me a thousand horses and I will give you three hundred catties of gold; Sell 10 thousand horses and give 3 thousand pounds. " When the monarchs of Lu and Liang heard the news, they asked their people to weave. It is a fool not to do such a profitable business! After more than a year, Guan Zhong sent someone to ask Lu and Liang. It is found that Lvliang and China have all woven nets, and agriculture has been abandoned for a long time. Guan smiled and said, "We can take Lu and Liang." Huan Gong said, "What should I do specifically?" Guan Zhong replied, "You should change into silk clothes and ask the people all over the country to stop wearing cigarettes. It is also necessary to close the checkpoints and cut off all economic exchanges with Lu and Liang. " Qi Huangong immediately implemented Guan Zhong's method. Ten months later, Guan Zhong sent someone to inquire. At this time, there is famine in both countries, not to mention paying taxes. The monarchs of both countries ordered people to stop spinning and farming, but food could not be produced in a short time. Shandong people and Liang people spend thousands of dollars a stone to buy food, while the price of vegetables in Qi is only ten dollars a stone. Two years later, six-tenths of Lu and Liang defected to Qi. Three years later, the monarchs of Lu and Liang all obeyed Qi.

Not only the countries that produce luxury goods were played by Guan Zhong, but also the countries that produce sophisticated weapons were played. Hengshan Mountain is rich in weapons, and the sword is beneficial to the westward journey. Guan Zhong had long planned to tame Hengshan, but if he wanted to attack Hengshan by force, he would definitely have to work hard. So Guan Zhong also made a deal, and sent someone to Hengshan to buy weapons at a low price one year before the start of the army. Ten months later, Yan, Dai and Qin all went to Hengshan to buy weapons, even for them. Seeing that all countries are scrambling to buy our weapons, Hengshan has given up agriculture and turned to strike while the iron is hot. A year later, Qi people stopped buying weapons, but bought food. In Zhao, the price of grain is $0/5 per stone, but in Qi, people buy grain at the price of $50 per stone. All countries, including Hengshan, transport grain and sell it to Qi. Just as countries were cheering for wealth, Qi suddenly closed the checkpoint and stopped buying food and weapons from Hengshan. And announced that he would retreat to Hengshan before the summer harvest. At this time, Hengshan has no food available and weapons are almost sold out. It is impossible to buy food in other countries. Being completely defeated in the economic and military battlefields will bring down the whole country.

It is not enough to play dirty, but a big country is strong. You can't stop it by controlling the grain. Therefore, Guan Zhong grasped the trade war and the promotion of universal values together, occupying the moral commanding heights. Make money to build a memorial arch. This moral high ground is to respect the king and resist Japan.

In the spring of 656 BC, Qi, Lu, Song, Chen, Wei, Zheng and Cao led the northern allied forces south to crusade against Chu, the largest country in the south. At that time, the commander-in-chief of the allied forces was Qi. Looking at this situation, Chu was weak and sent messengers to the allied camp to explain. The messenger of Chu asked, "Our two countries, Chu and Qi, have nothing to do with each other. If there is no hatred, why hit me? " Comrade Guan Zhong righteously said, "The reason why Qi State crusaded against Chu State is because Zhao Gong has authorized Jiang Taigong, the ancestor of Qi State, and Qi State has the right to conquer princes for the safety of King Zhou. Your Chu state maliciously seized the special product of its own country-Tebaicaocao, which led to the shortage of unique raw materials and conspired to destroy the ritual of offering sacrifices to the gods, so that every time a ritual of offering sacrifices to the gods was held, it was impossible to filter drinks. Dare to say that it is innocent to offend your ancestors? " Later, under the international mediation, especially considering that the strength of Chu is relatively strong and there is no war between the north and the south, it is appropriate for Qi and Chu to sign a peace treaty. King Chu Cheng promised to pay tribute to Maocao on time. However, this war increased the value of white thatch. You know, if you don't turn in the thatch on time, Qi has the right to destroy you.

Then Guan Zhong used thatch to help Zhou Wang solve its financial problems. It is a universal value advocated by Qi Huangong to respect the king, but the real problem is: although the king of Zhou has the title of emperor, his strength is weak and his financial resources are insufficient, and no vassal can respond to any order to levy taxes on other countries. Everyone loves to owe Zhou Wang. Real money and silver won't be given to brotherly countries, will it? It's not worth fighting for the emperor's debt collection. Huan asked, "Is there any way to solve this problem?" Guan Zhong told him, "Between the Yangtze River and Huaihe River, there is a special thatch called Mao Jing. Please send someone to prohibit and guard around the production area. After a while, the son of heaven will worship in Mount Tai and Fuliang. You can order the princes of the world to say,' Those who follow the son of heaven to climb Mount Tai to pay homage to Fu Liang must bring a bundle of Mao Jing as a sacrifice. Those who don't obey orders are not allowed to obey them. "That is to say, if you don't get the leader of Mao Jing, you will be expelled from this world. So all the princes in the world are scrambling to buy gold. The price of Mao Jing in Jianghuai has increased tenfold, and a bundle can fetch hundreds of gold. This hype is thatched, and Zhou Wang didn't want to take the vassal for seven years. Qi didn't pay a penny for himself, thus realizing the respect for the king and the suppression of barbarians.

Seeing that Zhou's hype was successful, he said to Guan Zhong, "When can we have such benefits?" Guan Zhong replied, "There is a special stone wall under the shade of Qi State. Please ask the king to build a city in Yin, with three walls and nine doors, surrounded by stone walls. Then send a jade craftsman to carve the stone wall. One foot ten thousand, eight inches eight. " After all the stones were finished, Guan Zhong went west to see the emperor and said, "The king of our country will lead his ministers to visit the ancestral temple of the former king and observe the ceremony in the weekly room. Please issue an order that all the princes in the world who come to worship and watch the ceremony must bring red bows and stone walls under the shade of trees. Those who have no bow and stone walls are not allowed to enter the DPRK. " Zhou softened up and agreed, and issued orders to all localities. The princes of the world took gold beads to buy stone walls in Qi State. In this way, the stone walls of Qi were handed down to the world, and all the property in the world belonged to Qi. With gold in its hands, the Qi government will soon reduce taxes and exempt domestic taxes for eight years.

In such a businessman prime minister who likes to show off his wealth, monopolize and fight trade wars, people's evaluation at that time was not low. Under Guan Zhong's rule, "micro-decentralization and macro-control" were equally important. On the one hand, attract investment and reduce the burden of industrial and commercial tax; On the other hand, the monopoly of salt and iron is implemented to ensure fiscal revenue. Finally, he became the first overlord in the Spring and Autumn Period by virtue of economic strength rather than military strength, commanding vassal states to respect Zhou Wang and resist barbarian invasion. Especially Linzi, the capital of Qi, was in its heyday, and every household was busy bragging. ",is the most prosperous and prosperous city in the world at that time. Although Confucius didn't quite agree with Guan Zhong's high-profile consumption, he still praised him: if Guan Zhong doesn't revitalize Qi and support the royal family, we are all barbarians. Even after 2000 years, scholars are still discussing: What would happen to China if Qi unified the world?

Unfortunately, history cannot assume that the commercial empire established by Guan Zhong cannot compete with the military empire established by Shang Yang. In the eyes of the rulers of the Daqin Empire, there is only the word "land to the tiller", everyone is a screw in the war machine, the high consumption of ordinary people is a waste, and "businessmen" are even more moths of the country. In the empire, consumption first looks at level, not financial resources. There are obvious levels of intellectuals, agriculture, industry and commerce. If you are a businessman, I'm sorry, you can't take a bus, ride a horse, wear silk, and no amount of money is enough. The businessman's way of governing the country is finally drifting away.