In the last decades of the second millennium, the Chinese nation is vigorously governing. Looking back at the Millennium, reviewing the hard-won changes, looking forward to the uneven prospects, and discussing the economic context from the perspective of money can keep us awake in the face of such a statement as "the arrival of the Asian century."
The earliest "money" was hides, shells and even heavy iron. So far, all countries in the world have used a special printing tissue paper-paper money. In the final analysis, "money" is just a credit symbol, which can be converted into equivalent items at any time. Because it is easy to preserve, divide and carry, the whole world has gradually accepted it, regardless of north and south, ancient and modern. And its credit is mainly supported by national laws.
At the turn of the Millennium at the end of the Northern Song Dynasty, the paper-printed currency "Jiaozi" was widely used in China's economic transactions. As an important means of circulation and payment in economic life, Jiaozi was originally jointly issued by Sichuan merchants, and basically only circulated in Sichuan, because it can be redeemed at any time, and it was quickly recognized by the society. Later, although these "Qian Shang" went bankrupt, the benefits of "money" did not go bankrupt. The government immediately set up a special organization to issue "official sedan chairs" and spread them all over the country. Although it is still redeemable in name, it is basically redeemable in fact, and its credit is only guaranteed by the government. During the Southern Song Dynasty, although copper coins and silver were also in circulation, paper money was already the main currency. In the Yuan Dynasty, the whole country implemented the paper currency circulation system, and the representative one was the "Zhongtong Yuanbao Paper Currency" issued by Kublai Khan during his reign. Although it was convertible at first, it soon stopped and further banned the circulation of copper and gold and silver. The issue of "Daming Treasures" in the Ming Dynasty was never honored, and the circulation of copper, gold and silver was prohibited. Later, the court was forced to lift the ban, only because the credit of paper money was too poor to actually ban copper, gold and silver. The credit of non-convertible notes is greatly affected by circulation. It is precisely because of the excessive issuance and sharp depreciation of precious paper money that this pre-modern paper money circulation form began in the Song Dynasty and gradually withdrew from economic activities in the Ming Dynasty.
Kyle Poirot, who once served in Kublai Khan's court, introduced China's "miracle" to the west: "Wherever businessmen in the Great Khan country go, they use this kind of paper money to appreciate and buy goods ... just like pure gold." The word "Jing" tells us that China's paper money was unimaginable to foreign intellectuals at that time. Paper money is a great invention of China. Today, it is hard to imagine how a world without money works. Even if electronic money appears, the social function of paper money can not be ignored.
"Money" has become "paper", which is light on the surface but heavy in fact. In recent years 1000, human economic activities have been carried out around that thin "paper".
The pursuit of "money" has opened up global communication. In western history, Columbus discovered the new continent as the representative, Spain discovered America and Portugal arrived in India, and later there were "sea coachman-Holland" and the so-called "the sun never sets" British Empire, which planted the banner of "rice" all around the world in pursuit of "money" and traveled around the world.
In the world trade at that time, European countries were net importers of commodities. China and Middle Eastern countries rarely import goods from Europe, so European countries need to pay "hard currency" such as gold and silver. Countries in the Middle East need gold, which urges Europe to plunder and mine gold from Africa and other places for Middle East trade. China needed silver, which prompted Europeans to plunder and mine silver in America and other places. Correspondingly, it is the "silver age" of European geographical discovery that began in18th century. Historically, China has implemented the silver standard for a long time, so until the early years of the Republic of China, all currencies could be converted into "silver coins".
The trade between countries and regions not only breeds businessmen from all walks of life, but also calls for "Qian Shang", a businessman whose business object is money. Non-governmental financial activities came into being, and the story that happened in a basin province in China was revived around the world. These private financial activities are risky, and it is still a serious problem for the court to borrow money. However, the commercial profit of money is too great. Private financial activities in the wildfire have never completely consumed them. They have grown tall again in the spring breeze, continued to develop and gradually evolved into pre-modern banks. In China, Shanxi's draft banks were also quite developed in the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China, with branches all over the country and excellent payment credit, and even served as a part of the national finance. As China was further reduced to a semi-colony, Shanxi Draft Bank withdrew from the historical stage.
Why do humans do business? Because the transaction can bring benefits to both parties. Since World War II, although local wars have continued, there is no world war, and peace and development have become the theme of our times. If you can get "money" from trade, you may not have to conquer and plunder it to death. The progress of science and technology makes the "cake" of economic activities bigger and bigger, and there is enough room for mutual benefit.
In our world, science and technology and human wisdom, collectively known as knowledge, are the only factors of production that are not bound by the law of diminishing returns. Other factors of production will be consumed in use, but knowledge will not be consumed because of use. This is the main line of the concept of "knowledge economy" based on the production, dissemination and application of knowledge, and is the fundamental point of the concept of knowledge economy. It is on this important issue that developed countries occupy an unquestionable advantage.
In addition, an important reason why developed countries take advantage is that most of the "money" in the world is in their hands, that is, they occupy the financial market. If a symbol can be widely accepted as credit, even if paper is eventually eliminated, it can also play the role of money. At present, the symbolization and electronization of currency have greatly improved the speed of bank settlement, accelerated the pace of society and greatly improved the efficiency of economy. In this regard, developed countries are once again ahead.
Financial electronization and currency symbolization follow the logic of making money as easily as possible, but money is too convenient to see. More and more invisible money flows around us at a high speed like a flood, and finally there is a disaster more terrible than natural disasters-"money disaster", which is the financial crisis that people have been talking about since 1997.
In international economic relations, people use "money" to speculate on "money", which gets hotter and hotter, and finally rises to "bubble". Speculative capital in developed countries buys a country's currency in large quantities and then throws it out in large quantities, which is enough to cause a financial crisis in countries with smaller economies. Soros is like this, showing off between creating bubbles and bursting. They have the money and the means. The inflow and outflow of short-term liquidity is the direct cause of the East Asian financial crisis. Krugman, an American economist who predicted the East Asian financial crisis, said in The Return of Depression Economics that if the real economy is good, financial problems may still occur. In the era of symbolization and electronization of currency, we should be extra careful.
The rise of "money" into a bubble can be said to have existed since ancient times. More than ten years ago, "Crazy Clivia" in Changchun was an example of the local ancient bubble economy. When the per capita income of urban workers is less than 100 yuan, a Clivia can actually get a price of more than100,000 yuan. In Japan in the 1980s, the economic growth was not great, but the real estate speculation was crazy. For a time, I only guessed the real estate value in Tokyo. Once converted into "money", the whole United States can buy it. Once the economic bubble burst, it has been in a downturn for ten years. Money, money, if you think it's expensive, it's expensive, if it's not expensive, it's not expensive. Once the bubble bursts, if you think it is not expensive, it is not expensive.
How can economic development have stamina? Worth historical review. /kloc-in the 0/9th century, Britain was ahead of the United States in science, and Australia was much higher than the United States in per capita resources and per capita capital. However, since the 20th century, the economic development of Britain and Australia has not kept up with that of the United States. Although the two world wars did not reach the United States, Australia also took advantage. Economists have found that besides land, labor, resources and capital, science and technology and a peaceful environment, there is another important factor, that is, the capacity of the domestic market. So far, no country can match the domestic market capacity of the United States, which is an important reason why the United States can lead the economic development for a long time. In a big country, only when the purchasing power of the people is generally improved and the market is well integrated will the domestic market show its productivity advantage. Once the advantages are formed, they will play a long-term role. Relying on this "national growth capacity", money has truly become an active living water.
Although the pursuit of money and wealth has promoted and continues to promote the development of history, it needs the necessary system construction to regulate it. In fact, history and reality tell us that the pursuit of money and wealth has also brought many ugly things, from small pickpockets to thieves, from abuse of power for personal gain to shoddy work. The variation of social values brought about by the pursuit of money and wealth deserves our special attention. In our market economy, we must avoid the possibility of laughing at the poor without laughing at ugliness, laughing at the poor without laughing at evil, and letting knowledge sweep the floor. We can avoid such a prospect, and the government shoulders an unshirkable historical responsibility.
From animal skins to paper money, from paper money to electronic symbols, "money" has gone through a thousand years. In the next Millennium, "money" will go along this road until it is really out of sight, and human society will eventually evolve to a stage where "money" is not needed and money will eventually disappear. Until then, it will be a challenge for human beings to enjoy the benefits of "money" and effectively avoid the flood of "money disaster".
Throughout ancient and modern times, the word money has interpreted countless tragicomedy in the world. The comedian is happy physically and mentally, and his family is prosperous and everlasting; As a tragedy, I beat my chest, hurt my family and regret it forever. Therefore, Chinese traditional education regards money as a kind of pollution to people's spirit, and educates people to take strict precautions. It is also called "Green Rust", "Bronze Flavor", "Kong Fang Brothers" and "Blocker". The secular view of money is another way of saying, "money makes the mare go", "money goes to business, fire goes to the pig's head" and "everything is round with money" A penny can kill the hero's theory of money omnipotence. It can be said that there are different opinions about right and wrong.
In the Western Jin Dynasty, Lu Bao wrote in On the God of Wealth: "If you have money, you will be bright if you are poor, warm if you are cold, and brave if you are poor." "Money can turn disasters into blessings. When you are defeated, you will find peace, and the deceased will be like this. The length of life, rich or poor, cares about money. " This passage is joking, humorous, laughing, hiding and scolding, and it focuses on awakening the world. Although it was written by people nearly two thousand years ago, readers still seem to have synaesthesia today. Zhang Wei, a scholar in Tianbao period, commented on Qian's poem: "The world needs gold to make friends, not much gold is not deep. Even if you make a promise temporarily, you will always be a passer-by. " With sharp and profound language, Zhang Wei revealed that the friendship in secular society is based on money, and it is necessary to have deep affection and use more money. Some foreign celebrities have also issued similar sighs. Shakespeare once said a lot about money. "Money is a great magic wand, which can casually change a person's appearance," he said very thoroughly in the drama Timon of Athens: "With only a little gold, you can turn black into white, ugly into beauty, wrong into right, humble into noble, old people into teenagers and cowards into warriors. It can make the cursed people blessed, the people suffering from gray epilepsy loved by all, it can make thieves compete with their elders, and it can make yellow-skinned widows become brides again. " This passage is incisive to money, which can distort human nature. When it comes to money, western cultures are interlinked. No wonder Sima Qian, who buried himself in writing history books, also said, "Prosperity in the world is beneficial, prosperity in the world is beneficial. The king of thousands of people, the king of thousands of households and the king of hundreds of rooms are still poor, but the situation is that the people are made up of families! "
Due to the temptation of money, many human tragedies have been caused. So philosophers all over the world are thinking about a problem. People can't live without money, but people don't live for money. There is a very interesting phenomenon. People came into this world with fists clenched, but died when they left. The lame Taoist in A Dream of Red Mansions sang: "Everyone knows that immortals are good, but money can't be forgotten. In the end, I only hate getting together, and I closed my eyes for a long time. " Jia Baoyu in the book grew up in a prominent and extremely rich feudal bureaucratic family, lived in a pile of money, ate delicacies and wore fine silk. According to some people, he is happy, but his spirit is imprisoned and he is not free. He saw through the world of mortals and finally left home.
When people are poor, they are eager for material things and money, but once they have it, they suddenly find that money is not everything. Rousseau of France said, "Money can't buy what the soul needs." Money can buy marriage, but not love; Money can buy advanced Simmons, but it can't buy sleep; Money can buy books, but not knowledge; Money can buy expensive medicine, but not health; Money can buy a diploma, but it can't buy real materials and practical learning; Money can buy elixir of life, but not life. Confucius, the most holy teacher, said, "A gentleman is righteous and a villain is beneficial." What Confucianism advocates is a word of benevolence and righteousness. "Being rich and expensive is what people want, and there is nowhere to find it." Taoism in our country pays attention to returning to nature, not seeking fame and fortune, "the breeze and the bright moon don't want money", which is somewhat dusty thinking, for fear of being polluted by money and becoming vulgar. It has also become an unattainable detachment temperament of our nation. The praise and criticism of money is reasonable, and the old lady said that the old lady has a way.
But in any case, money is a tool for human survival and one of the foundations of a country's prosperity. In all fairness, money is really a good thing, and the key is people's attitude towards it. There is a saying in our country that a gentleman loves talents and takes them wisely, but he has no way without taking money. The former mayor of Fuyang was insatiable for greed. In the court of the Provincial High Court, the judge deducted reasonable living expenses and other expenses from the legal income of the Xiao family. Xiaojia also has 12232638.26 yuan, 14243 yuan, 83880 yuan and so on. And can't tell the difference between the source. The money used to be wealth, but it became evidence in court. There is a saying, "Don't cry until you see the coffin." Zuo Xin Jr. finally understood the meaning of money. He said, "People want three meals a day and three meals a night. What do I need so much money for? " This understanding is really like Zijuan's girl saying Jia Baoyu, "Master Bao, you are late!" The mayor was dismissed and the citizens failed. They were imprisoned and tortured, and all their hard work, struggle, honor and wealth were wasted, just like a nightmare. Money, money, you didn't discuss it. No wonder the cynical Jigong sang, "Gold is not red enough, and silver is not red enough. How can it reach you after you die? "
Recently, there are several corrupt officials in the TV series "The Granary in the World", all of whom lend money to their children. In Jin Ping Mei, the word "quit poverty" is well written. "Money and silks are kept in pearl cages, so it's not so greedy if you don't debut. The morality of relatives and friends is lost because of money, and the relationship between father and son is beneficial. Tap your hand to avoid physical and mental worries; Children and grandchildren have their own blessings, so don't worry about it. " In the history of China, people with lofty ideals often have a clear understanding. Lin Zexu wrote a pair of couplets himself, saying: Children and grandchildren are like me, what should I do with money? Being virtuous and rich will damage his ambition. My children and grandchildren are not as good as me. What did you leave the money for? Foolish and rich will increase their excesses. Gong Lin's integrity proves the old saying that "if you shout three times for free, ghosts will be afraid". To be an official, we must clearly realize that "the official is not afraid of my strictness, I am honest, and the people are not convinced that I can do it for me; People dare not slow down, and honest officials dare not bully. Public life is bright and honest. "Cheap, the basis of politics. If you want to be a good official, you must understand the two sides of money, which is a double-edged sword. The current constitution of China clearly stipulates that "economic construction is the center", and the more money you get by taking the right path, the better; Don't take money from crooked ways. No matter what industry people are engaged in, they should stay awake and always be vigilant.
Bacon, an English thinker, said well that money should be sought by proper means, used cautiously, used generously to save the world, and separated from it when you die. This is our correct attitude towards money!
Busy all day, nowadays people often say "I am busy", which seems to have become a popular expression, all for money. Let our signature have some relevant content, which will enrich it.
When there is no money, my wife and secretary; When rich, the secretary and wife.
The rich are afraid that others will know that he has money, while the poor are afraid that others will know that he has no money.
We have a little disagreement: she wants me to turn stone into gold, and I want her to treat gold like dirt!
It is impossible for people to bring money into the coffin, but money may bring people into the coffin.
At that time, I was poor all my life without going to college, but now I am poor as soon as I go to college.
When it comes to charging, it is in line with international standards. When it comes to service, it is the national condition of China.
All women should get married and try to make their husbands earn money to support themselves.
Between relatives, talking about money hurts feelings; Between lovers, talking about feelings hurts money.
We seem to have entered an era when we can only prove our love with money.
Do most people get money before they do things, or do things before they get money?
It's hard for rich people to have no money!
Money is not everything, and sometimes you need a credit card.
The rich are afraid that others will know that he has money, while the poor are afraid that others will know that he has no money.
The way to make money is through physical strength, knowledge and Qian Shengqian.
My father asked me what kind of life I wanted. I answered money and beauty, and my father punched me in the face; I answered career and love, and my father touched my head appreciatively.
I am not RMB, so I can't make everyone like it.
Money talks, money talks!
Money is not everything. Without money, nothing can be done!
Money! Used properly, it can exorcise ghosts and push the mill;
Money! Improper use will be haunted!
After being rich, it is not for the sake of being richer.
As rich as a country
The money you have with you is invisible.
Friends are the real wealth of life.
Treat money like dirt.