"I went to Moscow once last winter, and my boss also went to Ukraine. I should have the same experience. In order to buy food in exchange for cash, the whole street, from piano to medal, was put up for sale. Some black markets even sold people. Tut, if it wasn't for me, I would help my boss pick some beautiful girls. It is conceivable that this winter will be even worse. I recently read a report that the unemployment rate in Russia has reached 32%. Even ten years ago, no one would have thought that the Soviet Union would be reduced to such a state. "
In the restaurant of Southampton Waterfront Estate.
While eating and chatting, the topic unconsciously turned to the recent unrest in Russia, Simon skillfully holding a piece of cumin mutton with chopsticks, while saying: "in fact, your China is just a little bit worse, there is nothing to gloat about."
"I'm an American now, just like my boss," Chen Qing said with a smile, "and I'm not gloating. In China, there has been some reflection over the years. "
"What did you reflect on?"
"It's not something I care about," Chen Qing said, and she couldn't help asking, "what does the boss think of these things?"
"What?"
"The former Soviet Union, and China?"
Simon took a sip of the yellow rice wine at hand, thought it over a little, and said, "in fact, excluding the chance of history, there are only two things that affect all this: the production system and the distribution system?"
Chen Qing thought that her boss would talk about the state system and so on, but she didn't expect that. She was curious and said, "what do you mean?"
Simon said: "on the one hand, the collapse of the Soviet Union was due to the fact that the production system could not meet the basic needs of the continuously growing national population. In fact, this is more typical with reference to Chinese history. In ancient China, the Dynasty and the throne were generally within 300 years. One of the most important reasons is that the production system in the agricultural age could not meet the natural population growth of more than 300 years. As a result, there was war, and then the dynasties were replaced. Every change of dynasties meant a large number of deaths of the population. How to say that, there were nine empty rooms, and then everything started again. "
Chen Qing thought it was reasonable and asked, "what about the distribution system?"
"The production system and the distribution system are actually inseparable," Simon said. "Besides, in the Soviet Union, when productivity reached its limit, the distribution system became more and more unfair. The upper echelons of the pyramid used privileges to occupy more and more social resources, further aggravating social contradictions. Coupled with the backwardness of the production system, the Soviet Union finally collapsed."
"I see," Chen Qing nodded and then said, "so the current production system and distribution system in western countries are the most reasonable, right?"
Simon smiles: "maybe."
Chen Qing saw that her boss didn't seem to agree. Instead, she didn't look for the bottom line. Instead, she said, "boss, since 1978, China's productive forces have been liberated. Does this mean that China only needs to solve the problem of distribution system next?"
"Yes," Simon nodded, and then said, "but personally, I don't think there is any solution."
"Isn't the west a good reference to raise tax rates and estate taxes?"
"Well, in my opinion, a sentence in China's Tao Te Ching is the essence of the distribution system of human society."
"Well?"
"The way of human being is to sacrifice what is not enough and to offer what is more."
"How?"
"The final result of the distribution system of human society is that a few people occupy the most social resources, then collapse, start from scratch, and go back and forth."
Chen Qing stopped to clip vegetables and looked at the man opposite: "the boss is so pessimistic?"
"Two typical examples," Simon said, "one is in China. At the end of the Ming Dynasty, Li Zicheng besieged Beijing, and the Treasury was empty. In order to defend the city, Emperor Chongzhen hoped that all the officials in the city could donate money to help the army. As a result, all the officials cried desperately for poverty and made a lot of trouble, and finally raised 200000 liang of silver. Then, Li Zicheng stormed into Beijing and tortured all the officials in the city. Do you know how much money he squeezed in the end? "
Chen Qing blinked again.
Well, she really doesn't know.
I only remember that in the history books, the common people welcomed the king of Chuang, just like the ending of a fairy tale. I didn't expect that there would be such a wonderful follow-up after the ending.
It seems that I need to read more.
Simon was about to solve the mystery when he noticed that Yu Xiaomin, who had been watching and listening quietly, wanted to stop talking and asked with a smile, "do you know?"
Yu Xiaomin nodded: "it seems that it is 70 million Liang."
Simon did not speak, Chen Qing has been surprised: "so many ah?"
Simon said: "if you compare it again, you will find that the fiscal revenue of the Ming Dynasty in Chongzhen period was only 34 million taels, 70 million taels, which was equivalent to the fiscal revenue of Chongzhen period for 20 years. If Chongzhen had the money, it would not only ease the refugees caused by the drought in the north of the late Ming Dynasty, but also build a solid defense line in Eastern Liaoning, He did not give the Qing army any chance to enter the pass. Unfortunately, he did not. "
Chen qingruo has some thoughts.
"See, those with vested interests would rather subjugate the country and exterminate the species than benefit the world. Another typical example I just mentioned is the two world wars. Fundamentally, the cause of the two world wars is still that the participating countries want to readjust their distribution system. This is not a single country's distribution system, but a global distribution system. Unfortunately, the outcome is a bit ridiculous. "
Chen Qing understood immediately this time, and then said, "in the end, it all cheapened the United States, creating a superpower that accounts for nearly half of the world's GDP."
"Therefore, the problem of distribution system is a dead knot, which is difficult to solve."
Chen Qing has a different opinion: "now the European and American countries are not doing very well?"
"Western countries are now in the strongest stage of the natural cycle of" birth, growth, strength, decline and demise ", so you will feel very good. However, as I said just now, the fundamental trend of making up for the deficiencies while making up for the losses will not change. Just like the United States, you should note that the Clinton administration has lifted many restrictions on industrial monopoly, This will inevitably lead to the emergence of oligarchs. The result is that in the near future, a very small number of people will have more and more wealth. "
Chen Qing said: "what about Europe, such as the northern European countries, which have achieved almost equal distribution through high tax rates?"
"If I remember correctly, none of the five Nordic countries has a population of more than 10 million, which is not representative in terms of 6 billion people in the world. Or Germany and France, the two great powers in Europe, are also moving towards the trend of high tax rate sharing. But you have to understand that one of the inevitable results of these measures is that social productivity will be greatly weakened. In fact, due to the continuous improvement of social welfare, the productivity of the whole west is declining. Ordinary people may envy that the working hours in these countries are getting shorter and shorter. However, the fact is that the decline of productivity to a certain extent is the same as the result of the serious imbalance of the distribution system. They are heading for collapse, because there is no free lunch in the world, There's no pie in the sky
"But..." Chen Qing can't help Arguing: "I think it's very good now?"
"I just said that one is at the peak. As we talked about before, when the ancient Chinese dynasty was strong, the rest of the world saw China as the best, the golden country. Now, the west is at its peak, and all other countries see the West as a country of gold. "
Chen Qing pondered, nodded slightly, and then lowered her voice slightly: "boss, according to what you say, the future of China... Eh, dead knot?"
"The most interesting thing about history is that there are countless accidents in the inevitable trend, and it will be the same in the future."
"Does the boss mean that he is not optimistic?"
"In my personal opinion, the key to China's success in the natural cycle is not to solve the problem of the distribution system, but, as I said just now, to provide more than enough for less than enough."
Chen Qing slightly enlarged her eyes: "it's not easy for modern society to expand outward, is it?"
Simon raised his chopsticks and nodded at the opposite girl: "narrow."
Chen Qing vomited next tongue: "boss explains carefully?"
Simon picks up the wine glass next to him again. He finds it empty and signals to the side. Yu Xiaomin quickly comes forward to fill Simon's glass.
After another sip of wine and a piece of fish, Simon continued: "the two world wars have proved that outward expansion is no longer feasible. However, just like now, the reason why the West has been able to grow rapidly and spend every ten-year or so economic cycle smoothly is that it is more than enough to lose."
"Three examples: dollars, high technology, luxury goods."
Chen Qing continues to do the listening.
Simon said: "after the US dollar broke away from the gold standard and became the global reserve currency, the US has been harvesting the world through the US dollar tool. It's an important task that we are interested in understanding by ourselves. Second, high technology. Western countries sell semiconductor chips at a cost of US $1 to developing countries that lack production capacity, and the price can reach US $100 or even higher. People who are used to all this think that this is the power of science and technology, but in essence, it is a kind of plunder. Then, luxury goods, the world's famous luxury brands, are basically in the old western countries. This item is more profiteering than high technology, and the cost of several tens of dollars can even sell for tens of thousands of dollars. Generally speaking, it is a brand effect and high added value, but in fact, it is also a kind of plunder in essence. The developed countries sell their products at a huge profit of 100 times. Through these profits, they can exchange a large number of cheap goods with a profit margin of less than twice that of the backward countries, which not only ensures the high welfare and bottom working hours of their own citizens, but also largely offsets the potential social problems caused by the decline of productivity and the imbalance of the distribution system. In the future, if China wants to rise to the peak, it must achieve this goal like the western countries. "
Listen to Simon finish, not only Chen Qing, next to Yu Xiaomin also showed a slight frown of thinking expression.
It seems that it is very difficult to realize currency counter attack or high-tech counter super attack, not to mention luxury goods. What luxury brands are there in China?
Simon said with a smile, "it's hard, isn't it?"
The two women nodded slightly together.
Simon didn't say any more and changed the subject.
The meal lasted more than an hour, and as it came to an end, Lin Guili appeared again.
The Korean girl has changed her original Maid uniform. She is wearing a light blue silk suspender dress, which is very close to the body and shows her figure. Her hair is scattered and her face is a little ruddy. After entering the door, she whispers that she is ready. Her eyes float back and forth between Simon and Chen Qing, waiting for orders.
Simon shook his head and said, "I want to see a movie all of a sudden. Forget it tonight. You can have a rest early."
Then he got up and went out.
Chen Qing then gets up and starts after Lin Guili with a complicated expression.
Yu Xiaomin hesitated a little and chose to keep up, leaving Lin Guili standing in the same place in a daze.
This is
In recent days, and just now, in vain?
At first, there was some resistance and grievance.
Now, all of a sudden, there's a lot of loss.
In the corridor outside the restaurant.
Chen Qing took her boss's arm and said with a smile: "counting Lin, there are 25 in total. Can the boss do scientific research again?"
Simon shook his head: "suddenly I don't want to. It's boring."
Chen Qing egged on: "can you find a camera to take a picture?"
Simon raised his hand around her, and somewhere behind her came a note: "I don't have the habit of being a leading actor."
Chen Qing cooperated with her, ah, and continued with a smile: "when the boss has finished watching the movie, at least try the eight. They are all young people."
"Trouble."
"Oh, the boss is so strange. Other men like it. Only the boss finds it troublesome. This kind of thing, I can't first cheap other men, and then give it to the boss? "
Then I got another one.
Chen Qing was wronged.
So, it's a dilemma.
But she is still very smart: "since the boss doesn't like it, I'll let them talk to each other, mm-hmm, and then give it to the boss?"
So the third one.
Chen Qing is helpless.
I'm in a dilemma.
Just then, angri Davis, the housekeeper who learned that her boss had used dinner, also showed up with Carmen case. After hearing that Simon was going to see a movie, she came to the basement of the villa.
First of all, I came to the copy room next to the private screening room. I'm not interested in the new films in recent years. The good films are basically from danielis entertainment that Simon has seen many times. Generally speaking, he doesn't waste time. He chooses a black-and-white film "sweet life" by Fellini.
three hours.
When the film was over, it was almost early in the morning.
In the private projection hall.
Chen Qing was not very interested, let alone black-and-white films. Unexpectedly, she was immersed in watching them until a voice came to her ear: "what do you think?"
He nestled up to his boss, and Chen Qing said, "I suddenly feel, um, some emptiness."
Simon said with a smile: "this shows that you, like the hero, are trapped in a life siege that you can't extricate yourself from. You have lost your direction and forgotten the meaning of life. You need to calm down and reflect on it."
Chen Qing refused: "then, boss, how do you feel?"
"Very substantial."
Chen Qing
"Although I have a lot of things, I still haven't lost my goal. I still know that I am pursuing, exploring and moving forward," explained the Mongolian belt
Chen Qing put her head on her boss's shoulder: "then I just need to follow the boss forever."
"That's smart."
"Ha ha."
"I suddenly want to take risks. Like the opening of the movie, Manhattan must be very busy in recent fashion week. Would you like to join me?"