DDK HistoryF.p65 - CSIR

394 TRADING BARONS [10.6
estimated 1/2 to 3/4 rupee per seer per 100 miles, plus the cost of guards,
tolls, inland customs, and other charges levied by emperor or feudal baron.
Arbitrary state monopolies could be declared, or brought about by
means of special taxes, such as the 33 per cent tax in 1633 on indigo, which
was the effect of making producers sell to state agents at 18 rupees when
the market price was 27 rupees. Saltpetre, which was then exported from
India, was a state monopoly in 1655. Mir Jumla arbitrarily demanded
50,000 rupees from the grain merchants at Dacca, flogged 25,000 rupees
out “of their two leaders, and then received another 300,000 from the
bankers of the city. Because a labourer’s pay was two rupees a month
or less in ports like Surat, local manufactures developed there out of
sheer necessity, under the European factors. The Hindu merchant
was discouraged by caste or Muslim domination from having
prominent voice in affairs of state. His Muslim counterpart was
somewhat more important but prone to .turn into a feudal lord.
Mahmud Gawan, of princely origin, able general, the outstanding minister
and statesman of the Bahmani kings, supported himself and his
household entirely by trade upon his private fortune (Per. 2.511-13)
; the income of his jagir was used to pay his troops, and the surplus
expended in charity. Mir Jumla and other provincial governors after
frm abused their positions to participate in trade, either directly or by
thrusting themselves as partners upon one or more merchants. This
son of an oil-vendor in Isfahan had become a leading diamond merchant
and mine-owner at Golkonda, feudal noble, high minister at Bijapur,
turncoat, and Aurangzeb’s general by turns. Special monopolies were
claimed by such borons, goods brought in duty-free (as on the imperial
service) resold for their personal gain. This imposition of feudal privilege
and irresponsibility upon merchant capitalism naturally made for still greater
instability. Portuguese, Dutch, French and English merchants had to arm
themselves for their own protection against pirates, robbers, and each
other. They inevitably began to participate in local intrigues set afoot
by ambitious feudatories ; then to fight with each other and 1 the lesser
Indians. When, after Clive’s victory of Plassey (1757), the East India
Co. took over feudal rights in Bengal, the original policy of peaceful