On Shang Yang's Reform and System Innovation Qin Xiaogong is a historical figure with great achievements and verve. After he acceded to the throne, he "ordered people all over the country to seek talents", and recruited talents who "can conspire with Qiang Qin" all over the world. When Shang Yang heard that Wei entered the Qin Dynasty, he first lobbied for "Emperor Tao", but Xiao Gong was not interested. He also expressed his views with "Wang Dao" and did not impress Xiao Gong's heart. Then he spoke with "overbearing". Xiao Gong was fascinated, but he didn't know that "I will see you at the dinner table before I kneel down". Perhaps "Emperor Dao" and "King Dao" took effect too slowly, the social cost was too high, and the target period was too long, so the general monarchs didn't take it at that time. As the new institutional economists have discovered, the life cycle of rulers is an important factor affecting a country's political and economic stability and institutional changes. However, the benefits of "overbearing" have become more obvious recently. Compared with "Emperor Dao" and "King Dao", although it is not the optimal system, it is a suitable system, so it is easier to be recognized by monarchs. Relying on "overbearing", Shang Yang began his system reform and innovation of Qin State, and set off a great reform with historical significance. This "overbearing" view is particularly worthy of our attention. The author has no intention to make a comprehensive discussion on Shang Yang's political reform, but only makes a brief discussion on several aspects that are conducive to the institutional innovation of Qin State.

The basic spirit of Shang Yang's political reform is to destroy the hereditary system of Qin aristocratic lords, establish a new system that is convenient for the development of the landlord class, and then establish a centralized monarchy. Shang Yang said: "Anyone who establishes a country must abide by its system." He also said that "when the system is in place, national customs can be changed, and the people will follow the system." In order to achieve the goal of "overbearing" reform, he put forward that "three generations of kings have different rituals, and five tyrants have different laws". "What is the ancient law that was taught differently in previous lives?" Why should the emperor follow if he doesn't mend fences? ..... Tang, Wu Wang also, repair the ancient and prosperous; When Yin and Xia perished, it was not easy to die with ceremony "(Shang Jun Shugeng Law), and there were also" things change and things are different "(Shang Jun Shukaisai)," saints can strengthen their country, but they cannot violate it; If you can benefit the people, don't follow their rituals "(Biography of Historical Records and Shang Jun), and then declare that" saints violate the ancient times and don't practice today ". The ancient law was later than then, and the revision of it was blocked by the situation. Zhou illegal business, summer illegal danger, three generations of different potential, can be king. Therefore, although Wang Youdao is prosperous, it is different "(Shang Jun's" Shu Kai Sai ")," If you don't rule the world together, you don't have to learn from the past "(Shang Jun's" Shu Geng Fa ") and so on. These remarks are the theoretical basis for Shang Yang to reform the old system that he thinks is out of date, so as to carry out institutional innovation. The strategic goal of Shang Yang's "hegemony" is to reform the state system, that is, to establish a highly monopolized feudal landlord state. First of all, he reformed the enfeoffment system of hereditary land according to aristocratic descent, and replaced it with the county system. The monarch seized part of the political power and military power of the small and medium-sized lords (doctors), and the court directly appointed county magistrates, chiefs and county officials to replace the doctors who were in charge of county politics. He stipulated that the land should be divided according to the size of military service, and based on military service, it was the main criterion for the enfeoffment of upstarts. "Imperial clan can't become a vassal unless it is in military service. ".(Biography of Historical Records of Shang Jun) thus sublated the hereditary land and title privileges that originally belonged to aristocratic lords. This move is a major institutional innovation for the enfeoffment system itself. This institutional innovation has also changed the social status of serfs and effectively developed human resources, which will undoubtedly promote the development of social productive forces and increase the total social income. "Biography of Historical Records of Shang Jun" mentioned that "Miaoli is engaged in her own business, and farming and weaving have led to many people's rehabilitation. "This is the embodiment of Shang Yang's resolute implementation of the reform policy of' Wujue Wuren, Sujue Sioux'. There is a similar record in Shang Jun's Book God Law, "Therefore, I teach people who want profit not to plow; Those who avoid harm will inevitably fight; People in China must work hard before they can enjoy it. " "Happy" here of course means that the situation of serfs in the main working productive class at that time has been improved to a certain extent. After 10 year, this system, which was innovated by Shang Yang, was implemented: "Qin people are happy, the roads are not picked up, the mountains are free from thieves, the family is full, the people are brave in public war, they are afraid of private struggle, and the towns and cities are governed together." (Biography of Historical Records and Shang Jun) I think this is the best written expression of the system suitability after an institutional innovation. How's this?