Chapter 292 Advanced Tax Farming System
As for how to develop the Matabele Plateau (Zimbabwe), the first step is to increase local popularity, so the East African government held a government meeting on this matter.
Of course, it was more government personnel brainstorming, and the final decision was made by Constantine and Ernst.
Von der Leyen: "Economically speaking, the Matabele Plateau is currently a blank area. Apart from the army, there is no population. However, there are a lot of local indigenous people. We can first use the indigenous people to bring some of the local Resources have been developed, and the Matabele Plateau is far away from East Africa, with Zambia in between. Therefore, considering only land transportation, the distance to develop the Matabele Plateau is too far. The administration is also very inconvenient. In this regard, I propose to communicate with Mozambique and let them open up the sea. If it can be transported by sea, the environment of the Matabele Plateau can be greatly improved. ”
Jarman: "For security reasons, the Portuguese in Mozambique will probably not agree to our request, so it is better not to have too much hope in Mozambique."
Sweet: "The correct way is to solve the communication problem first. The telegraph line in Zambia has almost been repaired to the Southern Frontier Province. Once completed, the telegraph line will be directly introduced from Zambia to the Matabele Plateau, so that we can communicate with the local people in time. The garrison maintains contact, makes quick decisions, and responds to emergencies and potential risks.”
< br>Constantine said: "The indigenous economy can be considered. The Matabele Plateau is now in a colonial state, so we can use the garrison to get these indigenous people active first, let them roughly sort out the land and plant some crops. It is best to use high-yielding potatoes and cassava, so that the land can be initially developed and later It will be much easier for us to let the immigrants take over the developed land. As for the transportation issue, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will first contact Mozambique and communicate with them. If they are unwilling to provide access to the sea, it doesn't matter. We will develop the country step by step. There are also telegraph lines on the Tabele Plateau, which were put into use immediately after the Zambia main line was built. The construction of the Matabele Plateau section and the Zambian branch line can temporarily delay the construction time."
Sweite: "Your Majesty, when it comes to traffic issues, we must not forget to level the Matabele Plateau and Zambia areas. roads, especially the construction of bridges on the Zambezi River and many tributaries of the Congo River, in some river sections The domain also needs ships to assist the orderly and smooth flow of traffic. "
Von der Leyen: "We have experience in this regard. We just need to mobilize and organize local indigenous people to develop agriculture, and the construction of transportation infrastructure can be carried out at the same time, during the busy farming season. When farmers are busy, they work in the fields, and when they have slack farming time, they organize indigenous people to build bridges and pave roads, and agricultural development can To solve the problem of indigenous food rations, as long as we manage the food distribution problem, we can temporarily turn the indigenous people into East African wage workers, and when we no longer need them, it will be easy to kick them away."
Felix. : “Managing indigenous people is actually not an easy task, especially in undeveloped areas, which are generally sparsely populated. Their armies are sprinkled on it like sesame seeds, so we'd better use those tribal chiefs to assist East African rule before the immigrant population is replenished. I have an idea. In addition to the tough method of military suppression, we can also use economic Using this soft method to control the indigenous people can at least reduce the resistance of some of the indigenous people. That is me We use industrial products to improve the quality of life of these upper-level tribes and plunge them into luxury and enjoyment, so that they are inseparable from East African industrial products. We use industrial products in exchange for food outside of taxation, and use this food to invest in transportation construction. Come up, this will create a closed loop, which can greatly improve management efficiency.”
East Africa also collects taxes from the indigenous people, especially the newly annexed areas. Most of them are in this form. This is why East Africa can minimize the resistance of the local indigenous people.
The taxes levied on the indigenous people in East Africa are more similar to the Ottoman tax farming system. Under strong military suppression, most indigenous regimes and tribes temporarily accepted the management of the East African government as subordinate forces, and then East Africa prioritized ensuring indigenous rule. The interests of the class are 50-50 split with these people in terms of taxation, but the work is all done by the indigenous rulers, and East Africa only needs to share the money.
Temporarily supporting the continued existence of these indigenous regimes has greatly reduced the chance of indigenous resistance in the vast area east of the Kuango River and north of the Limpopo River in East Africa. Of course, if such an "advanced tax-collection system" "Indigenous forces in East Africa that are not accepted by the system will not show mercy and will directly eliminate them and set an example.
In order to scare the monkeys, other indigenous kingdoms and tribes unconditionally supported the tax farming system in East Africa. Those who understand the current affairs are outstanding, and the top leaders of these indigenous forces can also enjoy better treatment than before.
Because most of the indigenous forces are in the stage of slavery, the level of productivity is extremely low, and the tax farming system in East Africa actually has the characteristics of a feudal system.
At the same time, with the help of technological promotion, these indigenous people were forced to enter the farming era and settle down, so that they could receive taxes. The original indigenous rulers could also enjoy the support of tax revenue after productivity increased. The living standards of the indigenous high-level people also improved. There will be no more organized indigenous resistance to East African rule.
Of course, the indigenous ruling class is now enjoying dividends, and they will definitely not be satisfied with this over time. After all, the temptation to monopolize tax revenue is much stronger than a 50-50 split with East Africa. However, East Africa has long considered this. When the indigenous people are dissatisfied with the rule of East Africa, it is almost the time when East Africa will clean up the local population and make living space for East African immigrants.
Constantine: “Under the tax farming system, these indigenous ruling classes will also accumulate a large amount of grain in their hands. We use industrial products to buy this grain back from their hands, and then we can repurchase it. Employ indigenous people to renovate the infrastructure during the off-season. The improved infrastructure will also provide convenience for East African troops and immigrants, further strengthening our local governance capabilities. After the immigrant population reaches a certain level, we will take action against these indigenous people, Felix. , is that what you mean?”
Felix: “Yes, Your Majesty!”
Felix's strategy is very good. As for whether the natives will obediently accept East Africa's arrangements, that is inevitable.
Under the East African tax farming system, apart from the share that East Africa took away through its military strength, the indigenous top leaders actually took the lion's share. They would collect more taxes and fees from their own forces in the name of the East African government.
The output left to indigenous slaves and civilians may only be enough for them to barely survive. However, East Africa obtains the resources they control from slave owners and chiefs through industrial products and invests them in the slack period. These indigenous people will In order to eat more, you must accept employment in East Africa.
Because East Africa has confiscated grasslands and forests and does not allow the indigenous people to hunt prey, they can only rely on farming to support themselves, and heavy tax pressure forces these indigenous people to take more jobs to support themselves.
In fact, when the tax farming system was first implemented, the happiest people were the indigenous slave class. They originally worked for slave owners for free, but now they can have their own harvest, although it is pitiful. But the spiritual needs of these slaves were greatly met.
In this way, the resistance of the slaves was reduced, and the slave owners who were unwilling to accept the tax farming system also found that their rule was more stable, and because the slaves' enthusiasm increased, their own benefits also increased greatly.
The most important thing is that they can enjoy the convenience of industrial products through the East African Industrial Products Exchange Plan later, and their quality of life can continue to be greatly improved.
East Africa can use the tax farming system to reduce the intensity of indigenous resistance, complete infrastructure construction, and reduce garrison costs. Finally, when the immigrant population increases, they can turn their backs and disown the indigenous people without any burden, and develop the indigenous people. Land, roads, and houses were confiscated.
So the current tax farming system is satisfactory to the indigenous bottom class, the ruling class, and the East African forces. Everyone thinks that their future is bright.
(End of this chapter)