The Basis of Ancient Indian History (I)
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 3962252 |
|---|---|
| Authors | D D Kosambi (corresponding author) |
| Year | 1955 |
| Volume | 75 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 35 |
| Publication date | 1955-01-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of the American Oriental Society (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0003-0279 • E-ISSN: 2169-2289 |
| Publisher | JSTOR (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.2307/595035 |
| OpenAlex | W2330310449 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 8 |
6. RISE AND DECLINE OF TRADE. Land tenure cannot be expected to show greater uniformity than contemporary society with its varied concepts of property and right within each component caste, subcaste, guild. The royal sita lands of Arthasastra were economic foundation of Mauryan state power; Manusmrti does not know word. However, difference is partly regional. The Chinese travellers mention sitd domains in passing (Legge 42-43; Giles 20-21; Beal I, xxxvii-xxxviii and I, 87-88), rest of land being tax-free or very lightly taxed. It is obvious that revenue in U. P. and Bihar would be far less than in Mauryan times, hence that a flourishing state like that of Gupta emperors would have to derive relatively more income from south, with its newer settlements and trade. Fa-hien notes (A. D. 400-410) that king's bodyguards and attendants all have salaries, Hiuen Tsang (about 630 A. D.) that public works require it, labour is exacted but paid for. Both of these are survivals of Mauryan usage. But later pilgrim also reports that the governors, ministers, magistrates, and officials have each a portion of land consigned to them for their personal support, which is beginning of feudalism as is unpaid corvee. In those two centuries, populous cities of Magadha were deserted, Patna dwindled to a pair of hamlets, though Magadhan villages flourished and land yielded very well; this shows effect of new settlements upon whole economy. The time could not be far distant when villages, now completely dominating cities economically, would be reduced to an approximate common status for tax purposes. Candragupta's general Amrakarddava (F, pp. 31-3) purchased village of Isvaravasaka in A. D. 409-10 with money furnished by certain members of royal household and presented it, with interest of an added sum, to support of Buddhist monastic order at Safinc. The purchase could only have been from state, in sense of compensation to royal treasury after which
Ancient history · Basis (linear algebra · Geometry · Eurasian Exchange Networks · History · Mathematics · Politics and Conflicts in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Middle East · South Asian Studies and Conflicts
Clientelism in Indian Villages
The Segmentary State
Strategies of Rulership
Safer among their own Caste? Everyday Discrimination and Mental Health among Community-dwelling Older Adults in Rural India
Back to basics
City and State Formation in Early Historic South Asia
Caste and Distributive Justice
Terminology, History and Debate
| Unique citing works | 8 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 0,15 |
| Citation span | 1974 - 2026 (53) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 8 |