Hearing Li Shi's question, Wei Renshi suddenly remembered the Roosevelt New Deal mentioned in the world history textbook he studied when he was in school.

Roosevelt's New Deal was a series of measures, the most important of which was cash-for-work.

The other measures in Roosevelt's New Deal are naturally meaningless in this day and age. However, the article of cash-for-work can be imitated and used to solve the problem of displaced people.

"What has Wei Qing come up with?" Li Shi saw that Wei Renshi was silent for a long time, so he asked again.

Wei Renshi was recalling the practice of cash-for-work in Roosevelt's New Deal in his mind, and when he heard Li Shi ask again, he nodded and said, "Weichen thought about it, but he had a not very mature idea. ”

"Oh?" Li Shi was taken aback and said, "Wei Qing is really in a hurry. Let's talk about it, what are your thoughts? ”

Wei Renshi said again: "Your Majesty wants to let the homeless people live in peace, not to cause chaos. In order to solve this problem, we must first ask the displaced people why there is chaos. If you have a family, land, food and clothing, who would want to be a homeless person? Taking a step back, the reason why these people have become homeless is not because they can't live anymore! The tree dies, and the man lives. I can't survive anymore, so I have to move my nest and come out to try my luck, maybe I can still get a bite to eat? ”

"Therefore, if you want the displaced people not to be in chaos, it is simple to meet their most basic life, so that they have a way to live, so that they will not starve to death. As long as there is a way to live, these displaced people will naturally not be in chaos. Wei Renshi continued: "So in terms of means, as long as the imperial court provides disaster relief and allows these displaced people to stutter and will not starve to death, then these displaced people, at least the vast majority of displaced people, will not take the initiative to cause chaos." ”

Li Shi frowned and said, "Wei Qing said this, and did not answer my question. ”

"The minister hasn't finished yet." Wei Ren bowed, and then said, "But there are many displaced people, and the resources in the hands of the imperial court are limited. These resources can be used in many other places. Therefore, the minister had an idea - to work for relief. ”

"Cash-for-work?" Li Shi thought about it, and there seemed to be a trace of comprehension in his mind, but it was a little vague, so he said, "Wei Qing, tell me in detail." ”

"The so-called cash-for-work means that the imperial court will take out the projects that it wants to invest in and build, and these projects must need manpower, and these manpower can be used by those displaced people. Recipients then participate in the construction of these projects and are paid for their services, as an alternative to the direct distribution of relief food. For those displaced people who have the ability to work, they do not directly distribute relief food, but help arrange for them to participate in work, and obtain food, money and other remuneration by participating in different work. Wei Renshi explained: "Let's take an analogy, just like the cement roads that His Majesty asked his ministers to contract, or the river embankments that the imperial court is preparing to build, or the mining of iron ore, the mining of coal and coke, and so on...... These sites require a large number of people to work and need to be expanded, so the labor has not been sufficient. Then these projects can be taken out and the displaced people can be used as labor, and in these projects, the displaced people can be hired to do the work, and then food and money can be distributed to them as payment. This format replaces the direct distribution of relief food. This is cash-for-work. ”

Li Shi's eyes lit up.

Wei Renshi continued: "In this way, there should be three benefits. ”

"First, the imperial court organized relief recipients, that is, these displaced people, to participate in the construction of the project, so that these displaced people received the necessary income and the most basic living security, so as to achieve the purpose of relief. Second, at the same time of relief, a number of projects that should have been completed have also been completed. If the relief is distributed directly, after the displaced people receive it, the imperial court has almost no other return except for reducing a lot of grain reserves. It is even possible that displaced people will continue to be displaced after they have run out of charity, so the problem of chaos will continue. And if it is a work-for-relief, then after the imperial court provides relief, at least a few projects can be completed even if there are no displaced people, they have to use forced labor. Moreover, the use of displaced people reduces forced labor. In addition, these displaced people have a way to get paid for a long time, so they can temporarily settle down, no longer be displaced people, and there will be no phenomenon of the displaced people returning to the displaced people once the imperial court provides relief. Third, if the displaced people have something to do and get paid, the possibility of chaos will be greatly reduced, which is conducive to the stability of the country. And it can also stimulate their spirit of self-reliance, get rid of the negative consciousness of 'waiting, relying on, and demanding', so that they can realize that they are people with hands and feet, and they can completely save themselves and re-establish their confidence in life. Once a person has faith, it is not easy to become confused. ”

"Good! This is good! Li Shi was very happy and said, "This is a good way!" ”

"Not only that, Your Majesty, in fact, you can also guide the behavior of these displaced people through the method of cash-for-work, so that they can meet the needs of the country and the imperial court at the current stage." Wei Renshi added: "For example, at present, the imperial court needs to expand the scale of fields to increase grain, so the 'work' of 'work for relief' can be defined as employing displaced people to reclaim wasteland and grow crops. If the imperial court is ready to expand the scale of the new steelmaking method and increase the output in the next stage, then more iron materials will be needed, and this 'work' can be designated as iron ore mining. If the imperial court needed more coke, it could set this 'work' as mining coal for coke...... This 'work' can be determined according to the needs of the court and the country. In this way, the displaced people not only have a way to live, but also achieve the purpose of the imperial court. Moreover, it is even possible to distribute money as a reward instead of directly distributing food, so that the displaced people need to live, and they must use the money obtained through labor to buy the things they need to live, so that as soon as they buy, the merchant sells, and the market has circulation, and the displaced people can still live and obtain the things they need to make a living, and the merchant also has a business, and if there is a business, there is a tax, and the state adds some because of this. ”

"Good way! Good way! Li Shi was very excited, stroked his palms and smiled: "Wei Qing's method is very good!" Great goodness! ”

After that, Li Shi said again: "Wei Qing will go back now, draw up a detailed charter for this law, and hand it over to me immediately tomorrow." I will convene the three provinces tomorrow to discuss this matter! ”

It was rare to see Li Shi so happily to perform a thing, Wei Renshi nodded, bowed, and said, "Yes." Then the minister retired. ”

Li Shi nodded and urged, "Okay, Wei Qing go quickly!" If this method is successful, I will be rewarded! ”