Chapter 579： business insurance

"Oh, you don't know. How difficult it was for those who opened factories to recruit workers. Generally speaking, factory owners are city people, and their factories will be near towns, but people who used to live in cities They all have their own livelihoods in Hukou to support their families, and they don’t have much willingness to work in factories, but they go to the countryside to recruit people. Because of various obstructions from local snakes, they can’t recruit a few people. It’s all right now, hehe.”

When talking about this, Glitter's face turned pale, "I also found a few country boys to help me recently, and it feels really good. The country people are good, they are obedient, hardworking, and do what they are asked to do. They don't know how to bargain. Pay, do the work for two, not as cunning as the people in the city."

Although he didn't quite agree with his friend's last words, Stanford didn't intend to argue with him. Judging from the information in this conversation, the political status of the landlords in the countryside will no longer be different from that of ordinary peasants.

But is Earl Graham really not worried about the serious consequences of his radical measures? You know, his army is full of young officers from landlord families. Thinking of this, Stanford inexplicably thought of a young man on his own ship, who was the weapons administrator stationed by the Navy in the expedition team. During the long sea journey, he had chatted with the young man several times and heard him complain about one thing—in recent years The promotion in the army is somewhat biased towards those from ordinary families, and this young man is from a well-known squire family in his hometown. After feeling that there is no hope of promotion based on his qualifications, he decisively signed up for the overseas exploration team In the hope of earning a share of credit, he was sent to Stanford.

Perhaps Earl Greiman had already prepared for it? Stanford, too, was a little uncertain.

In this way, Stanford chatted with his friend Glitter all the way, entered Huxin Town together, and then separated in the city center. At this time, the center of Huxin Town has moved to the center of the new urban area on the south bank of Lake Weiss. Gretel went to attend to his business, while Stanford went on to the Lord's Mansion to meet Earl Graham.

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"Our new policy in the countryside has met with no physical resistance."

In Paul's office, several important officials from the Government Affairs Council stayed here. A small meeting was going on, and Hansel, the director of the Ministry of Agriculture, was reporting the latest situation to Paul.

"But the people whose interests were touched by the new policy - the country gentry and landowners - must have resentment, and I have communicated with some of them."

Hansel said with some concern, "Many people say they will faithfully obey the orders of Huxin Town, but their words and tone...the grievances and even anger revealed cannot be concealed."

"Wronged?" Hearing what Hansel said, Paul raised his eyelids, "Well, it's reasonable to think so. If the king kills Giles now and then deprives me of my title, I will And feel wronged too.”

"But!" he said firmly, "I don't intend to take back my order."

Paul got up from his chair and walked into the middle of the room, walking slowly, as if thinking.

"I will compensate them in other ways. As long as they are willing to invest their wealth in new industries - opening factories and doing business, I will give them tax relief and even provide subsidies."

"Oh, I think this is just wishful thinking." Hansel shook his head, expressing pessimism about Paul's words. "In the past, as long as they were lying at home, the silver coins would automatically flow into their pockets. The land is a never-ending generator of wealth. No matter what happens, they can make a steady profit without losing money. It can be said that the harvest is guaranteed in drought and flood—anyway, there are tenants who lose money. Take it upon yourself to charge more rent in good years and less rent in bad years, it’s nothing more than the amount.”

"But what about doing business? Doing business requires costs, especially for those landlords who are accustomed to a comfortable life in the countryside. They have to explore production sites, experienced workers, and supply and marketing channels from scratch. Under such circumstances, who can guarantee that they will make a steady profit without losing money? What's more, the situation in the market is changing so fast that even experienced people who have been immersed in it for many years will lose everything if they are not careful. Wealth requires a lot of energy to summarize and study the laws of the market, and the laws summarized may not be effective in certain special situations. Therefore, compared with new industries that must be exhausted and bear huge risks, I I think those country gentlemen still prefer the pastoral pastoral."

"Alas!" Paul sighed helplessly after hearing Hansel's analysis. The traditional inertia is too great, and most people are used to choosing things that they can foresee.

"Ah!" He suddenly stomped his feet vigorously, and his previously frowning brows relaxed, "I suddenly thought of a good idea."

Without waiting for others to ask, Paul couldn't wait to introduce his new ideas.

"I'm going to let the bank start a new business—commercial insurance?"

business insurance? Everyone who heard this word for the first time looked at Paul suspiciously.

"Yes, commercial insurance." Paul explained: "In a nutshell, before doing business, you pay a small amount of money to the bank to buy a... insurance. If your business does not lose money, then the small money will be taken away by the bank. But if your business loses, then the bank gives you a sum of money as compensation for your business loss."

Paul didn't know much about insurance before crossing, he just explained this new thing according to his own understanding.

"This is a novel idea said old Ford, the director of the Government Administration Council, "It can reduce the fear of businessmen about losing money. But... if this continues, won't the bank lose money? How can we get so much money? "

"Oh, my lord." Paul explained to Old Ford and others: "Let me give you an example. If I offer an insurance policy at a price of 10 silver shields, the person who bought my insurance will pay for it in case of an accident. I can get 20 silver shields as compensation, now 10 people bought my insurance, I received 100 silver shields, 2 of the 10 insured people lost money in business, and the other 8 didn’t lose money , then I only need to pay those two people 40 silver shields, and the remaining 60 are in my hands. Isn’t this a profit? And with the 60 silver shields, I can use some of them to invest in other places to earn money Take more money, and if nothing happens, just leave them in the vault and they'll just rust."

Old Ford asked: "But what if 10 people lose money?"

Paul exclaimed exaggeratedly: "Oh my God! We won't really encounter that extreme situation, right? Besides, we can make..." Then he waved his hand suddenly, "Forget it, then violate the My original intention."

Everyone discussed Paul's idea of ​​starting an insurance business, and finally they all felt that it would stimulate people's courage to invest in new industries, so they decided on it.