He Became King Sejong’s Lifelong Prime Minister - Chapter 57

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Secret Royal Inspector Kim Dae-bung (8)

On the mats spread wide across the government office courtyard, village chiefs gathered closely together are making bewildered expressions.

They all seem to be in a state of utter confusion since they don’t know what this is all about.

For these humble people living in the early 15th century, the very concept of a Royal Inspector as high as the heavens explaining the necessity of the nation’s new policy, the Land Survey Method, must be unfamiliar.

I’m the first secret royal inspector in Joseon, but I’m also the first to explain policy necessity to the common people.

“I am Secret Royal Inspector Kim Dae-bung, who came here under direct orders from His Majesty to examine the people’s livelihood.”

There won’t be a single person here who doesn’t know me.

No matter how lacking Joseon is in information media, there can’t be anyone who hasn’t heard the story of the secret royal inspector who instantly turned the county magistrate here into a headless ghost (scheduled).

Even if they hadn’t heard that story, the posol or clerks would have told them about me on their way here.

“As you all know, the reason this inspector has summoned you here is to directly inform you why the Land Survey Method is necessary.”

The principles of the Land Survey Method are, frankly speaking, extremely complex.

Even Koreans who graduated from university, or at least high school, don’t read posts longer than 10 or 20 lines in online communities.

That’s why they often request three-line summaries.

Some extreme cases skip reading altogether, saying even three lines are too long.

So expecting understanding from Joseon common people who haven’t even received mandatory education when explaining the complex principles of the Land Survey Method would be extremely difficult.

I pointed to one conspicuous village chief and asked.

“Is it good that taxes have decreased since the Bangwon Method was implemented?”

“Yes, thanks to the Retired King’s benevolent grace, we can now feed our families even when the spring famine comes. In former Goryeo, no, I never really thought such days would come in my lifetime.”

It was the same when I first came to Anseong County.

Even though that bastard Anseong County Magistrate Lee Seok-do had embezzled quite a lot in various ways, everyone gathered to hold a feast thanks to the dramatic reduction in taxes the people actually had to bear.

And where in this world would there be anyone who would dislike having their taxes legally reduced?

“All of this is possible thanks to the benevolent grace of the Retired King and His Majesty, who wish to care for you poor people.”

Before moving on to the main point, I lightly launched a surprise praise of Lee Bang-won and King Sejong.

It’s not only a virtue that Joseon’s yangban should naturally possess, but it’s also essential for explaining the content I’m about to discuss.

“However, no matter how much power Your Majesties wield, you cannot prevent floods or droughts. Just like such unavoidable matters, there’s one fact that’s absolutely necessary for running a country… taxes are needed above all else. What should we do when these taxes are insufficient?”

“Just as we collect special tribute when tribute goods are insufficient, when taxes are lacking, we have no choice but to collect more taxes.”

“Exactly. That’s why before the Bangwon Method was implemented, we imposed tremendous burdens on poor people like you to collect the necessary taxes.”

Taxes are like fuel needed to operate a country.

No matter how much gas prices rise, people who must commute by car have to fill up their tanks, even if it means crying while holding the gas pump.

Similarly, to maintain the country called Joseon, a certain amount of taxes must be collected.

Otherwise, the country’s functions would cease, and the Korean Peninsula in an anarchic state would become a survival land where people kill each other.

“But after the Bangwon Method was implemented, the way taxes are collected changed completely. We collect more from those who own much land and are wealthy, and less from poor people like you.”

The principle of the Bangwon Method can be summarized as: where there is property, there are taxes; where there is no property, there are no taxes.

However, this is merely an idealistic principle, and in reality, landlords and tenant farmers each pay about half of the taxes imposed on land.

When the period of severe corruption in the three administrative systems arrives, it becomes natural for tenant farmers to pay all the taxes imposed on land.

In Korean terms, this would be like monthly renters paying half of the comprehensive real estate tax, property tax, and income tax from rental income that building owners should pay… truly.

Honestly, if I had my way with the Bangwon Method, I would have wanted tenant farmers to bear no burden of tribute payment and land tax at all.

Thinking about it this way leaves me with quite a bit of regret.

‘Of course, even this would be a tremendous innovation for them.’

“Previously, we collected 3 seom worth of rice as taxes from people like you who had only 5-7 seom of white rice left after paying rent each year. From Kim Cheomji next door, who owns 10 gyeol of fields and harvests over 300 seom of white rice annually, we only collected a mere 15 seom of rice. This is how we met the necessary tax requirements.”

The actual principle of tax collection is much more complex than this.

However, the core message I want to convey is the same.

The tax rate imposed on the poor was substantially much higher, while the tax rate imposed on the rich was substantially much lower.

“Until now, Joseon collected taxes this way, but Retired King considered this unfair and took pity on you, creating the Bangwon Method. As a result, we now collect only about 8 mal of white rice from you, and 48 seom of rice from Kim Cheomji. Since Kim Cheomji has much, he pays much more to fill the taxes you pay less.”

The village chiefs who heard my words nodded as if they had realized something.

I can’t be certain they understood everything I said, but having explained it this way, they should have grasped at least this much.

That even though the taxes I pay have decreased, there’s no problem with the amount of taxes collected thanks to Kim Cheomji paying tremendously more taxes.

“Now, how do you think we should find out how much Kim Cheomji possesses? Try giving me an answer.”

The Village Chief who was pointed out answered without hiding his bewildered expression.

“We would need to find out how much land he owns.”

“That’s right. The law for that is precisely the Land Survey Method. Some village chiefs already know this, but when we survey land using the Land Survey Method, we can clearly know how much land Song Jin-sa’s house has and how much land Kim Saeng-won’s family has. In other words, we can accurately grasp how much the wealthy possess and collect that much more in taxes. Therefore, we can fill the gap left by the taxes you pay less.”

Ah, actually this is bullshit.

Both in Joseon and in the 21st century where wealth inequality has been incredibly reduced compared to pre-modern times, the top 1% still monopolizes 50% of the world’s wealth.

In Joseon too, a very small number of Yangban, royalty, and the king monopolize almost all the land…

Actually, applying a 20% tax rate to the high-ranking people can collect much more taxes than applying a 90% tax rate to the Common People.

So the Daedong Law is actually a tax reduction policy for commoners, and the Land Survey Method becomes a budget securing policy for Central Government financial expansion, but what’s good is good.

The Common People are happy because they pay less taxes than before due to the sustainable Bangwon Method anyway, and the Royal Court is happy because finances are expanded by collecting more taxes from the wealthy.

The wealthy would hate it because they get taxed more… but honestly, I don’t think we need to understand even that.

If I were to impose virtually no income tax on people who earn little money like 21st century modern nations, and impose nearly 40% income tax on those who earn a lot… I could understand getting criticized…

But applying the same flat tax rate to both those who can barely earn money and the wealthy who own dozens of gyeol of land… does it make sense to refuse that?

Not a chance.

“Now, even with all this, do you still plan to oppose surveying land with the Land Survey Method just because the area of land you tenant farm might be measured a bit larger?”

At my words, the village chiefs shook their heads collectively.

With the momentum to even pretend to die if told to really die.

“No, Royal Inspector! We like the Bangwon Method.”

“Please forgive us who didn’t properly understand Retired King’s grace.”

Even though I just gave a light policy explanation, everyone reacts like this, so a smile naturally forms on my face.

“You should return to your villages this way and widely inform the villagers why they should help with surveying land using the Land Survey Method.”

“Yes, Royal Inspector!”

“Only if you help me can you enjoy the benefits of the Bangwon Method for a long, long time.”

In fact, even if they didn’t help, the benefits of the Bangwon Method would reach them sufficiently.

However, if they understand the policy’s intent and sincerely cooperate, the effect would be hundreds of times greater.

The speed of land surveying would also become much faster than before.

When the village residents support it with their whole body and soul, even the yangban wouldn’t dare think of opposing it in the slightest.

**

A few days later, several Anseong County clerks led by Ibang arrived at Jangcheon Village in Anseong County to survey the land using the Land Survey Method.

As soon as they arrived, the village people came rushing over in droves.

Since the harvest was over and they had free time, they had voluntarily come out to help with government work that would benefit them.

“Ibang, My Lord!”

Ibang, who led the Anseong County clerks, had a dumbfounded expression.

Land surveying was also a type of corvée labor, so everyone should be reluctant to do it…

These days, wherever he went to any village, when they tried to survey land with the Land Survey Method, village people would voluntarily come rushing out to help… he still wasn’t used to it.

“What should we do?”

Though Ibang found it absurd, he had resolved to do his best to save his life and protect his property to move to another village, so he gave them instructions.

“Following our instructions, form pairs of two people to pull this rope taut and measure the length. I’ll teach you the details as we work.”

“Yes, Ibang My Lord.”

And the people of Jangcheon Village and the clerks joined forces to successfully survey all the village’s land in just one day.

Work in other places also progressed extremely quickly…

In less than a full month, the land survey of all of Anseong County was completed.

Kim Dae-bung, who received the results, couldn’t help but be shocked.

“Just how much did the taxes increase?”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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