My Realistic Simulation Game

Chapter 290 Preventing corruption through systems and restraining power through rights

Inside the reception room of the Commander-in-Chief's Office of the Restoration Army in Jianning Prefecture.

The fire in the stove was warm, and the aroma of tea wafted through the air, keeping out the chill of early winter.

Qin Yuan and Shen Baozhen sat facing each other. Without much small talk or probing, their conversation went straight to the core issue.

—【The foundation of rule: governance at the grassroots level】

Qin Yuan picked up Shen Baozhen's "A Preliminary Discussion on the Evolution of Local Taxation System and the Governance of the Restoration Area" and got straight to the point:
"Mr. Shen is a man of great talent. This article has a broad perspective on both ancient and modern times and is insightful."

"But there is one question that I have never been able to understand. In your article, you mentioned that since ancient times, imperial power has wanted to control the countryside. However, when I look at the rise and fall of dynasties, I find that the ways in which they penetrated the countryside and the results were very different."

"In your opinion, what are the fundamental evolutions and key differences of the 'imperial power extending to the countryside' policy from the Qin Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty? And what is the essential difference between this policy and what we are doing now in Fujian?"

Shen Baozhen had already anticipated this question.

He took a sip of the tea, the warm brew seemingly soothing his clear thoughts, and spoke calmly and unhurriedly:
"Commander, you are wise. To explain this matter clearly, we must start from the turning point of the Tang Dynasty."

"Don?"

Shen Baozhen nodded slightly and said as if reciting a familiar story: "Before the Tang Dynasty, especially during the Qin and Han Dynasties, the 'village official system' was implemented."

“For example, the ‘Shiwu system’ and the ‘Xiangtingli system’ were arranged according to the number of households. Five households formed a Wu, ten households formed a Shi, one hundred households formed a Li, and one thousand households formed a Xiang. Each was headed by a Li chief or Xiang chief, or called the Sanlao or Sefu.”

"Although these village officials were not formal officials of the imperial court, they were nominated by the local authorities and recognized by the government. They were responsible for education, adjudication, tax collection, and labor service. In fact, they were the formal representatives of imperial power in the countryside."

"This system appears to be rural self-governance, but in reality, it has spread the net of imperial power to every corner through these 'village officials'."

Gu Yanwu also stated in his "Daily Records of Knowledge" that this is clear evidence of "imperial power extending to the county level," so how can the later claim that "imperial power does not extend to the county level" be considered false?

He then shifted his focus to the key point: "However, after the Sui and Tang dynasties, the imperial examination system matured and the system of appointing officials by appointment became fixed, so this system of selecting 'local officials' gradually became obsolete. The officials dispatched by the imperial court to the prefectures and counties served only a few years at a time, like flowing water, and it was difficult for them to penetrate into the local areas. Meanwhile, the administration of government affairs became increasingly complicated and cumbersome, and the group of clerks and clerks expanded rapidly, becoming the people who actually did the work."

“Clerks are the claws and teeth of the dynasty, and also the parasites of the local area.”

Shen Baozhen said in a heavy tone, “They have been in the local area for a long time and are familiar with all kinds of administrative details. They are relied upon for grain collection and case adjudication. It seems that the imperial power has gained deeper control over the countryside through the clerks, but in reality, this power has been transferred or even fallen into the hands of the clerk class.”

"This was especially true during the Ming and Qing dynasties, when the officials in charge of prefectures and counties were like puppets, while the clerks and runners became the real 'local bullies'."

"This is precisely the situation that Gu Tinglin lamented: 'All officials are in name only, while all clerks and clerks are real'!"

Shen Baozhen said in a deep voice, "Imperial power is trying to sink, but what sinks is not benevolent governance, but mostly exploitation!"

The most memorable statement Qin Yuan had ever heard about petty officials was, "All petty officials in the world should be killed!"
Having heard Shen Baozhen recount the evolution of grassroots power throughout history, I now have a deeper understanding of this statement.

No wonder the local grassroots level was so corrupt in the late Ming Dynasty.

However, during the Qing Dynasty, this abnormal situation was further exacerbated.

"Mr. Shen, please continue." Qin Yuan became even more interested in Shen Baozhen's remarks.

Shen Baozhen nodded and held up two fingers. "The second key point of grassroots power is the interplay between imperial power and gentry power."

"The imperial power wanted to directly control the people's labor and finances, while local gentry, such as retired officials, people with merits, and leaders of powerful clans, also wanted to control the local area by relying on their land, prestige, and clan power."

"The focus of the dispute between the two sides is control over population and taxation."

“The gentry would not voluntarily hand over their resources to the state, so they devised various means to hide their land and population in order to resist the imperial power’s exploitation.”

"In order to cope with this, the imperial court had no choice but to rely on clerks to 'scrape the land,' which in turn exacerbated the clerks' exploitation of the gentry and the common people."

"The root cause of peasant uprisings in every dynasty mostly stemmed from this."

"Today, the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom rose up in rebellion, one of the root causes of which is that the system of extracting wealth from the grassroots has rotted to the core, forcing the people to rebel!"

When he said this, Shen Baozhen's eyes became particularly solemn.

He mentioned the "public bureau politics" of Luo Bingzhang and Zuo Zongtang in Hunan, believing that it was a helpless measure to "replace the power of gentry with that of clerks and temporarily make up for the lack of imperial power." Although it was effective in accumulating wealth, it was ultimately an expedient measure, and it allowed the power of gentry to grow too strong, which might become an uncontrollable force in the future.

“Therefore,” Shen Baozhen concluded, “throughout a thousand years of history, in the villages under the traditional imperial system, either corrupt officials ran rampant or local gentry became too powerful.”

"The so-called 'civilian self-governance' is actually just a delusion."

"Ordinary people living in such environments have to be subservient to others; how can they have any autonomy? The space where they can truly survive and govern themselves is extremely limited!"

This analysis was clear and to the point, and Qin Yuan nodded inwardly.

This Shen Baozhen truly saw through the deep-seated problems of traditional grassroots politics.

"Mr. Shen's analysis is very insightful," Qin Yuan praised, then turned to the practical issue, "So, looking at our Restoration Army's practices in Fujian, what is the fundamental difference between this township government system and the old systems you mentioned from previous dynasties? Can it break free from this cycle of 'clerks-gentry'?"

This is precisely the core issue that Shen Baozhen has been pondering these past few days.

The scene he had witnessed along the way flashed before his eyes: propaganda teams explaining the new policies, farmers delivering grain to the commune according to their land area, and working together to repair water conservancy projects during the off-season…

"The new policies implemented by the commander-in-chief are indeed refreshing!"

Shen Baozhen's tone was filled with admiration and contemplation: "In my view, the most fundamental difference lies in the completely different sources and operating logic of power!"

“Under the old system, the power of clerks came from their appointment by superiors. Their logic was to complete the tax revenue targets set by their superiors, and it was common for them to line their own pockets while doing so.”

“The power of the gentry comes from their clan’s land holdings, and their logic is to protect the interests of their clan and the village. Both types of people can deceive their superiors and subordinates.”

"The township offices of the Restoration Army were managed by either military dependents or upright civilians recommended by the local authorities. Their power, on the surface, came from the appointments of the Restoration Army, but in reality, it was more rooted in the fairness of the new policies and the visible benefits."

He said one by one: "It was the Restoration Army that implemented clear taxes, eliminated corruption among officials, and brought benefits to the villages through public works projects."

"Their logic was to first implement the new regulations issued by the General Headquarters, such as 'those with more land pay more, those with less land pay less, and those with no land pay nothing.' These regulations were public, which reduced the room for manipulation. In addition, the propaganda teams constantly explained the policies, which directly conveyed them to the farmers. Information became symmetrical, and the room for old clerks to manipulate things was greatly reduced."

"Well said!" Qin Yuan clapped his hands. Shen Baozhen had indeed grasped the key point. "Openness, following the rules, and eliminating exploitation by middlemen! These are the foundations of the new policy! But—"

He looked sharply at Shen Baozhen and said, "Sir, you have also tried reforms at Guangxin and should know the drawbacks of rule by man."

"The current township government can rely on military might and the integrity it enjoyed in its early stages. But as time goes on, as the author expresses in his article, how can this township government endure without becoming corrupt?"

"How can we guarantee that those who come after us won't become the new 'clerks' or 'gentry'?" Shen Baozhen took a deep breath, knowing that the time had come to show his true value.

He leaned forward slightly and said solemnly:

"What the commander-in-chief is worried about is precisely the core of long-term stability! In my humble opinion, to break this deadlock, we need to take a two-pronged approach, addressing both the symptoms and the root cause!"

Qin Yuan looked interested: "How can we take a two-pronged approach to address both the symptoms and the root cause?"

Shen Baozhen said earnestly, "First, we must increase investment and strengthen the organization. We cannot be like the Qing Dynasty, letting the grassroots fend for themselves."

"The Commander-in-Chief's Office needs to invest resources to ensure the treatment of township office personnel, so that they have sufficient income to maintain integrity. At the same time, a top-down supervision system should be established, and the people should be allowed to write letters to report wrongdoings, so that those who do bad things have nowhere to hide."

"This is called 'preventing corruption through systems'."

"Secondly, and more importantly, we need to expand participation and achieve checks and balances on power!"

A glint flashed in Shen Baozhen's eyes. "I read in the Guangfu Xinbao that there is a form of political participation in the West called parliament."

“I think we can refer to the ancient tradition of ‘village council’ and this form of parliament, and gradually establish ‘consultative councils’ or ‘village representative councils’ composed of representatives from all walks of life, such as scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants, at the township, county, or even prefecture level.”

"The power of this institution was initially limited to reviewing the expenditures of the township office, discussing major local matters, and accepting the demands of the people."

This allows it to supervise and check the township government.

In this way, the power of the township office does not only derive from above, but also needs to be accountable to the lower levels to a certain extent; this is using power to check power!

Qin Yuan's gaze toward Shen Baozhen grew increasingly strange.

If he hadn't already tested the waters and confirmed that the other party wasn't a player or a time traveler, he would have already "recognized them as family on the spot."

Who says the ancients were dull and unaware of advanced ideas?

A smart person will always be smart, regardless of the era.

Based solely on his revelations about the Western parliamentary system in the newspapers, Shen Baozhen's own summary of the political gains and losses of past dynasties, and his experimental implementation of local institutional construction for the future of China in the countryside of Jianning Prefecture.

That's how you come up with such a complete conceptual plan.

That's truly a genius.

Seeing Qin Yuan's silence, Shen Baozhen thought he had been too radical. He paused for a moment and added, "Of course, this proposal needs to be implemented step by step. We can start by trying it out in places where the Restoration Army has a solid foundation. The selection of representative councilors also needs to be carefully designed to prevent bad gentry from taking control and to ensure that people with real virtue and talent participate."

"It can also be combined with the new policies and ideas promoted by our Restoration Army Training Corps to educate the villagers, let them know their rights, and be willing to assume their obligations."

“In this way,” Shen Baozhen concluded, “the township office exercises administrative power, the ‘representative council’ exercises supervisory and deliberative power, and the Commander-in-Chief’s office holds the final decision-making and supervisory power.”

"Although the three powers are not separated as in the West, a preliminary framework of checks and balances has been formed. Perhaps this will allow us to break free from the cycle of 'its rise is swift, its fall is sudden' that has lasted for thousands of years, and lay the foundation for lasting peace!"

This argument cleverly integrates the rudiments of modern representative government into the framework of traditional Chinese rural governance, demonstrating both foresight and practicality.

This far exceeded the cognitive scope of traditional scholars, demonstrating Shen Baozhen's scholarship in solving practical problems and his extraordinary political insight.

After listening, Qin Yuan remained silent for a long time, his gaze fixed on Shen Baozhen.

His proposed concept of checks and balances at the grassroots level, namely "administration by the township government, supervision by the representative assembly, and adjudication by the higher-level government," is not yet perfect, but it directly addresses the core issue of power supervision and constraint.

This is precisely the most difficult bottleneck to overcome in China's thousands of years of autocratic politics.

"What a brilliant idea to 'prevent corruption with systems and check power with power'!"

Qin Yuan spoke slowly, making no attempt to hide his admiration: "Mr. Shen's words are truly insightful!"

"What I did in Fujian was just the first step in breaking down the old and establishing the new. What you said, sir, is the pillar and foundation of this new edifice."

"The gentleman has already shown the way to prevent it from collapsing and decaying!"

He stood up, walked to the window, looked at the winter sky of Jianning Prefecture outside, remained silent for a while, then suddenly turned around and looked intently at Shen Baozhen:
“Mr. Shen, I plan to select a few counties under the jurisdiction of the Restoration Army as pilot areas to implement the ‘Township Representative Council’ system that you mentioned, and cooperate with the township offices!”

"This matter concerns the future foundation of our Restoration Army regime, and only a person of great talent can preside over it."

"Would you be willing to help me and join me in this momentous undertaking that will shatter the world?"

Shen Baozhen stood up, straightened his robes, bowed solemnly, and said in a clear and firm voice, "It is my wish, and I dare not refuse!"

The two of them acted in a manner reminiscent of ancient times.

The two couldn't help but look at each other and smile.

In the following time, Qin Yuan, drawing on his knowledge from later generations, explained his vision for grassroots organizations to Shen Baozhen in greater depth.

From the division of powers and responsibilities at the village, township, and county levels, to the independent operation of the supervision system, and then to how to combine education with self-governance.

Shen Baozhen was increasingly alarmed as he listened. He had thought that his proposed “Representative Conference” was a forward-thinking idea, but he never expected that the young commander in front of him would have such a systematic, rigorous and far-reaching plan in mind. Its level of detail and completeness far exceeded his imagination.

The unprecedented attention and clear blueprint shown by the Restoration Army to the rural grassroots level deeply impressed Shen Baozhen and made him even more convinced of his choice.

In Qin Yuan's view, this was perfectly normal.

A hundred years from now, the rural population will still make up the vast majority of the population on this land, let alone today.

To govern a country, province, or region well, the primary consideration must be the population that constitutes the vast majority of that land.

Only with a solid foundation can a regime be stable.

Any act that disregards the grassroots and those who toil diligently on the land will ultimately come at a heavy price.

The greatest positive evaluation of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom by later generations, and the reason for the construction of relief sculptures to commemorate it, is based on this.

While the two were talking, the final battle in Fuling Prefecture, which had decimated nearly 200,000 soldiers, had already come to an end.

(End of this chapter)