The Research On The Governmental Salt System Of North-song Dynasty

North-song dynasty established a strong central government and weakened gradually local millitary strength and economic basis by a series of strokes. Because it drew lessons from history which were local separatist of Tang Dynasty and dissensions of Five Dynasties. For this reason, the government must provide for many redundant public officials. In addition, foreign aggressions were incessant. The contradiction between renenue and expenditure was becoming increasingly conspicuous, which made the government attach greater importance to monopoly of sale. Since salt always predominated in the monopoly gain of North-song dynasty, changes which surrounded the salt-law arose constantly. The changes of salt-law and salt income were closed to the social, politics, economic conditions of North-song. In order to get the largest profit of salt and ensure the country's expenditure, the government changed salt-law constantly whose pattern was but alteration between government-selling and treaty.This paper deals with the the governmental salt system in terms of history of economic law and explores the rule of salt-law and the relations with politics and economy under temporal circumstance. Although the final rule was transition of salt-law, which salt profits were controlled by the local government in the system of government-selling and dominated by the central government in the treaty, ownership on salt profit was essential. Therefore, it was necessary for song dynasty to change salt-law to weaken economic power of the local and strengthen the centralization. Diverse rights and duties would be taken among different economic subjects. Specifically, it's the game which was in process of competition and cooperation on salt profit between the government and businessmen. Because the government failed to carry off all salt gain and gave businessmen the opportunity to transport plenty of salt. The state controlled the salt businessmen by means of indirect monopoly and other measures, but the merchant would try to oppose it and took a series of ant-interference action, such as privately deal, tax dodging, tax evasion, and so on. The government of song dynasty cut off the connections between salt people and businessmen by controlling salt production, and squeezed the total surplus value created by salt people who carried out more obligations and got fewer rights. As a result, it's an entire exploitation relationship between the state and salt people. Monopolization is only a measure that the state govern the finance, which bring about distinct consequence under the different conditions. Just as the governmental salt system had much impact on society in North-song dynasty. For example, about eight tehths of frontier expenses came from salt profits. Yanchao not only promoted the development of Credit Currency but also laid the foundations of Paper Currency in North-song dynasty and beyond.In a word, the frequent changes of salt-law is necessary choice to govern efficiently for the government of song dynasty, which would take one thing with another such as politics,finance,economy,military. Though there are some disadvantages, to a certain degree, government salt system promoted economic progress of North-song dynasty.