DDK HistoryF.p65 - CSIR

CHAPTER X
FEUDALISM FROM BELOW
10.1. Difference between Indian and English
feudalism.
10.2. The role of trade in feudal society.
10.3. The Muslims
10.4. Change to feudalism from below; slavery.
10.5. Feudal prince, landlord, and peasant,
10.6. Degeneracy and collapse.
10.7. The bourgeois conquest.
THIS period has increasingly better but varied
documentation in many languages which would, by itself, make detailed
analysis difficult. These difficulties are further aggravated by many diverse
local survivals of older customs which, at least in form, distract attention
from the basis. The complete pattern is so intricate and confused that
its tracing necessarily passes some of the confusion on to the reader.
Therefore, only certain main features will be considered.
10.1. Indian feudalism differs so much from its European counterpart,
at least as regards superficial manifestations, that the very existence of
feudalism in India has sometimes been denied, except to describe
the Muslim and Rajput military hierarchies. The main characteristics of
European (specifically English) feudalism may be summarized 1 as
follows : 1) “A low level of technique, in which the instruments of
production are simple and generally inexpensive, and the act of production
is largely individual in character; the division of labour.... being at a
very primitive level of development.” This is true of India at all stages,
including the pre-feudal. 2) “ Production for the immediate need of a