63. The Significance of Collecting Antiques (I)

December 24, 1934, Shanghai Tang

Although it is Christmas Eve before Christmas, Shanghai Tang, which has always been known for its fashionable and modern style, has no festive atmosphere at this time.

-- Because of the Red Army of Workers and Peasants, which seemed to have fallen from the sky, and a righteous and stern anti-Japanese manifesto, the whole of Shanghai seemed to be turned into ants on a hot pot, and the market was plunged into an indescribable commotion and unrest.

Although Mayor Wu Tiecheng had already issued martial law, he seriously lacked the skills to implement this policy. Previously, in order to defend Kunshan, he had already dispatched the only security corps and police corps at hand. Now that Kunshan had fallen and the Red Army continued to advance, he not only could not organize Liliang ammunition to suppress the market, but also sent all the troops he could collect to the railways and highways, intercepting them layer by layer, in order to slightly delay the advance of the Red Army.

-- There were no fortifications on the outskirts of Shanghai, and there was no time to rush to repair the positions, so even if the Red Army was put into the city to fight, it would definitely not be able to hold it.

However, the anxious Mayor Wu Tiecheng obviously didn't know that the several batches of miscellaneous troops that he had collected everywhere behind him had dispersed in a hurry almost as soon as they left Shanghai -- please, even the elite of the regular army that was fully loaded was no match in front of this group of red bandits, wouldn't we be sent to death?

As for the only foreign aid available to the Kuomintang, the Japanese marines in the Hongkou Concession, although they boasted about it when Governor Wu Tiecheng came to ask for help, when it was actually put on the battlefield, they still knew quite well how many catties and taels they had -- since the end of the 128 Incident. Since the armistice in Songhu, the Japanese troops stationed in Shanghai, which once had tens of thousands of troops at the most, have long been reduced to about 2,800 troops. Even if the armed diaspora of the Japanese concession was urgently mobilized. It is estimated that only 4,000 people can be made, which is too thin...... It seems that it is more important to hold on to the existing concession than to grab the land.

Of course, with the usual arrogance and recklessness of the Japanese army, while mobilizing the expatriates to urgently build barricades, they also sent about 500 soldiers to the adjacent Zhabei area. Occupy territory from the Chinese border -- if the Chi Na bandits did not come to Shanghai, or if these Chi bandits were as vulnerable as the army in the northeast, the Japanese army would be able to double its territory in Shanghai again!

According to the words of some Japanese junior officers who are full of "the invincibility of the imperial army". "One Japanese can use ten Chinese people", with the strength of the Shanghai Concession alone, it is enough to destroy this inadequate Chinese bandits, and by the way, swallow the whole of Shanghai as a trophy in one bite!

Meanwhile. Many Kuomintang government officials in Shanghai. There are also "celebrities in Shanghai" who are close to the Chiang Kai-shek regime, and after learning of the unfavorable situation at first glance, their first reaction is to flee quickly to avoid the scourge of war. The residents of Shanghai, who had originally lived in the Japanese concession north of Suzhou Creek and were classified as war zones by the Red Army, were neighbors of Jin Qina and Jin Xingzhen, mother and daughter, who had received the news from the radio, newspapers, and neighborhood rumors, and fled one after another. The end result is ...... War refugees!

-- Thousands of war refugees!

Standing at the box window of a hotel on the bank of Suzhou Creek, Yu Qiaqing saw it with great sadness. From the morning of this day, there was a crowd of people from the Japanese concession north of Shanghai. It instantly filled every bridge on the Suzhou Creek - Waibaidu Bridge, Zhapu Road Bridge (Erbaidu Bridge), Sichuan Road Bridge, Tianhou Temple Bridge...... All the bridges were crowded through the rain, but those who came after them didn't stop because the roads were congested. Men with simple luggage, wives and children, with a tenacious and unanimous will, kept pouring into the U.S.-British-controlled area of the public concession on the south bank of the Suzhou Creek.

Whether it was a traitor comprador or a patriot, or an ordinary citizen who went with the flow, everyone was in a hurry to leave the place behind them, which might well be about to become a battlefield - no way, the war broke out so suddenly that everyone in Shanghai was at a loss for what to do, so that the vast majority of people left their homes without even having much time to pack up their belongings.

In short, with the impassioned anti-Japanese proclamation on the radio, they began their fleeing lives in such a hurry, and many of them were even shivering in the cold December wind in their thin pajamas - because their houses had been requisitioned by the Japanese army early in the morning!

This seems to indicate another terrible catastrophe - refugees, who have already lost most of their possessions, can easily lose their lives to the common cold, which in turn will trigger a pandemic of influenza, pneumonia and other plagues in Shanghai......

But the problem is that no one can prevent all this tragedy from happening - the Concession Bureau is not a charity, and no one thinks of spending money on refugee camps and shelters. Even after successfully crossing the Suzhou Creek, these people were still full of worries about their future lives, regardless of their nationality, color, or race -- as an international metropolis with more than 50 nationalities and nationalities, it was natural that among the war refugees who had escaped from the Shanghai War Zone were of all nationalities and races, and even many Japanese nationals who were afraid of war.

What's worse is that due to the flow of tens of thousands of people, as well as the instant influx of a large number of cars, horse-drawn carriages, and rickshaws, it has long been difficult to find a house in the public concession, which is already at a premium. The hotels were full, and many residents had taken in several families of relatives and friends who had come to join them, but there were still many people wandering the streets of the concession in a daze, not knowing which bridge or eaves they should take refuge under tonight. Plus some gangsters and thieves who take advantage of the fire...... This has led to serious security problems and traffic jams.

-- Right under Yu Qiaqing's nose, a car was suddenly stopped and smashed open by more than a dozen thugs, looting the rich men and young men who had fled with their families inside, and beating their heads to the point of bleeding by the way. By the time the patrols arrived with their whistles, the thugs had already dispersed and were nowhere to be seen......

“…… Alas...... In today's world, there is really not a day of stability to live...... It's either the Japanese or the Red Bandits......"

Yu Qiaqing. The famous Shanghai tycoon, an important supporter of Chairman Jiang in Shanghai's financial circles, couldn't help but let out a long sigh. “…… Is there any news from the city government? He asked the secretary behind him, who had just pushed the door in.

“…… The situation is very bad, the forward of the red bandits has already hit Anting Town, and Mayor Wu is planning to transfer to Chongming Island to work. The secretary replied.

“…… Office? I think it's a flight! Yu Qiaqing snorted coldly, "...... The International Chamber of Commerce must have been mobilized by now, right? ”

“…… Commander Grahan had gathered about half of his men and was pulling barbed wire and stacking sandbags at various intersections on the edge of the concession. ”

-- The armed Liliang "International Merchant Group" under the Ministry of Industry and Bureau of the Concession was in the nature of a militia volunteer army, except for the standing Russian troops. When there was a crisis in the concession, the Merchant Regiment Command issued a mobilization order, and the team members gathered at the designated place. Receive weapons to "defend" the concession.

Therefore, although this force is well equipped, the speed of mobilization is relatively low, in the event of an emergency. Often caught off guard.

It's even more troublesome. In the face of a strong enemy who really has thousands of troops and horses, although the merchants of all nations look bluffing, their actual combat effectiveness is very worrying.

-- In 1934 there were about 2,000 men in the whole International Merchant Corporation, usually commanded by British officers, and the largest number of soldiers was British, 600; followed by the Russians, with more than four hundred; This was followed by more than 250 Chinese and 200 Americans. There are still Filipinos, Portuguese, and Japanese left...... But. The Japanese in the International Chamber of Commerce have now been pulled away by the Japanese garrison in Shanghai.

Therefore. This is a small-scale deterrent force, although it is very well-equipped, with field rapid-fire guns, anti-aircraft machine guns, and armored vehicles, but it cannot withstand a brutal war of attrition, and there are no reservists to replenish -- in the concept of the Ministry of Industry, the International Merchant Group is used to scare people and suppress the people's mutiny, and it has never thought of throwing itself into a fierce battle with a sea of corpses and blood.

If it was a warlord scuffle in the past, then no matter which warlord came to Shanghai, he would sell face to the "foreign lords" and would not offend the interests of foreigners at will. But what is happening now are the red bandits who believe in the heresy of Marxism...... It's hard to say what they did.

If the red bandits really attacked the concession, Yu Qiaqing was really not sure how long these "international business groups" could last.

In fact, out of the bitter memory of the Russian revolution and the bitter fear of the Red Elements, when the citizens of Shanghai poured into the public concession in large numbers, some of the rich tycoons in the concession were also packing their luggage, snapping up ferry tickets, and preparing to escape from Shanghai to escape the scourge of war.

But once you escape Shanghai, for those who are in the forefront, it means losing control of the situation. On the eve of the counter-revolutionary coup d'état of April 12, when Shanghai was controlled by the workers' pickets of the Red Bandits, if Yu Qiaqing and other "people from the sea" had not stayed in Shanghai and actively maneuvered around and looked for a reliable Liliang from the National Revolutionary Army, but fled in a hurry with their luggage. Then, Chiang Kai-shek, who did not receive financial assistance from the Jiangsu-Zhejiang consortium, may not have the courage to raise a butcher's knife against the Red Bandits. It is difficult to say what will become of the direction of China's modern history.

Do you want to leave Shanghai this time? Looking at the crowded scene of refugees outside the window, Yu Qiaqing couldn't help but fall into deep thought......

However, before he could make up his mind, an invitation sent by Anold, the chief director of the Ministry of Industry of the Concession, interrupted his train of thought.

Looking at the exquisite invitation card in her hand, Yu Qiaqing couldn't help but let out a chuckle, "...... Christmas Banquet?! When is it, Chief Anold's head still has the heart to do this thing......" he flicked his fingers on the paper of the invitation, "...... Well, I'll stay in the concession for a few more days to see how things go! ”

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At the same time, Wang Qiu, who was in Suzhou, also looked at the mountains of antiques around him and fell into deep thought......

-- As a famous and outstanding "garden city" in China, as well as a cultural resort in the water town south of the Yangtze River, Suzhou has always had a lot of antiques, all kinds of Ming and Qing dynasty furniture, celebrity calligraphy and painting, official kiln porcelain, jade embroidery...... There are all of them, and they have long been coveted by the traversers.

Therefore, at the strong request of the "Comintern Column", the first thing the Red Tenth Army did after taking control of Suzhou City was to "requisition" the antique shops in the city. The shopkeeper was given a large sum of pounds or dollars and the store was emptied; The second thing is to fight the local tyrants and landlords, and detain all the wealthy families in the city one by one. Use the "revolutionary language" to count them, and then give them a multiple-choice question: if you are willing to obediently hand over the antiques and treasures hidden at home, you will be rewarded with a large sum of money, and if you don't give it, you will go to the streets...... As a result, most people chose to take the banknotes.

The third thing is to carry out the "old for new" activities, using "high-end and high-grade" plastic and aluminum alloy furniture to replace those "low-end rustic and tasteless" mahogany and huanghuali furniture -- this is mainly aimed at ordinary people who have good things at home, so as to maintain the image of the Red Army.

After a few moves. For a time, the whole city was in an uproar, and all the famous gardens in Suzhou were devastated, such as the stepping bed, the table of eight immortals, the Taishi chair, the jade screen, the Xuande furnace, the three-legged tripod, the official kiln Song porcelain, the bronze mirror of the Han Dynasty, the calligraphy and painting of Tang Bohu and Zheng Banqiao, and even the coffin made of good wood...... All of them were collected to the temporary headquarters of the Red Tenth Army. was then teleported back to modern Shijie by Wang Qiu through a wormhole.

-- The so-called "prosperous antiques, chaotic gold", in the eyes of the precarious Chinese in the Republic of China era, the value of antiques is really limited.

When he had just seen so many antiques, Wang Qiu was very excited. But as more and more antiques are teleported back. But he couldn't help muttering - the wood, gold, silver, and fur collected in Yishijie before could barely be said to be imported raw materials to support national construction. Nowadays, I have brought back so many antiques that cannot be eaten or worn, although the profits are very rich, but I feel that it is not good for the country and society......

After thinking about it like this, the little bit of discipline in Wang Qiu's heart that was about to fall out gradually returned...... Therefore, in line with a sense of responsibility to the country, the government, and the society. He took the time to talk to Professor Yang about it. got an unexpected answer.

“…… Collecting antiques, is it not beneficial to the country? Says who? Professor Yang blinked in surprise, "...... Not to mention the importance of promoting national culture, that is, purely from the perspective of social economics, this is also creating market purchasing power and helping the country avoid economic crisis! ”

“…… Create purchasing power in the market and avoid economic crises?!! You're not kidding! Wang Qiu was dumbfounded for a while.

“…… How can it be a joke? You should have read in the ideological and political class in school how the economic crisis was born! Professor Yang asked, and then without waiting for Wang Qiu to speak, he went straight to himself, "...... The capitalist economic system is based on the wage labor system. In this system, there is a fundamental opposition between capital and labor. In order to maximize surplus value, capitalist enterprises increase capital accumulation and labor productivity on the one hand, and on the other hand, keep the wages of workers as low as possible. In this way, a contradiction has been formed between the unlimited expansion of production and the relative lack of purchasing power of ordinary laborers, and the growth of demand often cannot keep up with the growth of production, which leads to an economic crisis of overproduction......"

This string of awkward professional terms suddenly made Wang Qiu feel a little dizzy when he heard it. So, Professor Yang had no choice but to show his ability to take classes in the university, and while writing and drawing in his notebook, he patiently explained the truth to Wang Qiu:

“…… From the day capitalism emerged, there was a fundamental problem: insufficient purchasing power. If all production is carried out in the capitalist system, there must be a problem - wages cannot buy all commodities, profits must also be added to the purchase, and production and marketing can be balanced.

This leads to the next problem, the principle of diminishing propensity to consume. Although it is said that people who make more money also spend more money, but from the perspective of proportion, people with a monthly salary of 500 yuan will inevitably spend all their income, people with 1,000 yuan will save up to one or two hundred yuan, and when the monthly salary is 10,000 yuan, they can save thousands of deposits per month. When you earn one million a month, although there is already a lot of luxury consumption, the proportion of total income may be two or three percent. As for those with higher incomes, consumption tends to stagnate. In terms of material comfort, the richest man in the United States may not be able to open a significant gap with a large domestic real estate developer.

This is a good thing, rich people don't consume, how good, save resources for the society. But looking at the big picture, the problem arises. Profits are concentrated in the hands of a few, and wages are distributed among the many. Wages are basically spent, but most of the profits are not spent, which will inevitably lead to a situation where the price of goods > the consumption of the boss + the consumption of the workers. It is impossible for commodities to be sold within this system.

What should I do if I can't sell it? The boss's first reaction was to reduce production to avoid losses. The reduction is not to make less things, but to pay less wages. Workers who don't have wages naturally don't buy things. As a result, the proportion of the reduction in purchasing power is higher than the proportion of the decline in commodities at the perspective of society as a whole. Bosses in various industries can only subconsciously lay off employees and limit production...... If this kind of tossing and turning continues, the entire national economy will collapse -- this is the economic crisis.

In short, the birth of the economic crisis is based on this principle. As long as you are focused on solving problems within the system, this problem cannot be avoided at all.

Of course, this problem was not serious before industrialization. In the absence of industry, individual productivity is low, and personal consumption has a lower limit - and no one can starve to death. So, in an agrarian society, it was not a big deal to have a surplus product, but as long as the king or the nobles squandered it a little, or fought a few wars, the surplus product was consumed. In more cases, it is actually the social wealth that is insufficient, and the people at the bottom can only go hungry. (To be continued......)