一條鞭法的開端：論明憲宗一朝的貨幣政策

The Start of the Single Whip Reforms: Currency Policies during the Chenghua Period

在整個15世紀，中國上下都在找尋一種用以代替賦役而政府又能接受的貨幣。成化皇帝即位，明朝出現了一次轉機，新皇帝在增加稅收的意圖下，同意在民間流通的銅錢也可用來繳納鈔關稅項。但當政府容許銅錢可以繳納稅項，很快便衝擊了地方市場的貨幣習慣，導致了「劣幣驅逐了良幣」的情況，惡性通貨膨脹也隨之出現。政府財政內外交困，一些地方官員率先變通了稅收方式，放棄寶鈔和銅錢，改為徵收銀塊，這是著名的「一條鞭法」的開端。 Throughout the fifteenth century, the Ming court was looking for a kind of money which was both accepted by the government and the populace. It seemed to be successful during the reign of the Chenghua emperor who, with the intention of increasing tax income, allowed merchants to pay part of their customs duties, which had been paid in paper money, in copper coins. Copper coins were the market money of the time, but the new practice caused a phenomenon of “bad money drives out good”. The quality of cash deteriorated and it market price dropped. At last, avoiding losing revenue, some local officials privately levied the tax in silver in lieu of the coins. This was the starting of the so-called “Single Whip Reform”.

Throughout the fifteenth century, the Ming court was looking for a kind of money which was both accepted by the government and the populace. It seemed to be successful during the reign of the Chenghua emperor who, with the intention of increasing tax income, allowed merchants to pay part of their customs duties, which had been paid in paper money, in copper coins. Copper coins were the market money of the time, but the new practice caused a phenomenon of “bad money drives out good”. The quality of cash deteriorated and it market price dropped. At last, avoiding losing revenue, some local officials privately levied the tax in silver in lieu of the coins. This was the starting of the so-called “Single Whip Reform”.