The agrarian system of Moslem India

Bibliographic data

Monograph

Identifikator:: 1804119261

URN:: urn:nbn:de:zbw-retromon-188010

Document type:: Monograph

Author:: Moreland, William Harrison http://d-nb.info/gnd/172263670

Title:: The agrarian system of Moslem India

Edition:: 2. ed. Reissue (d. Ausg. Cambridge) 1929; [Reprint]

Place of publication:: Delhi

Publisher:: Oriental Books, Munshiram Manoharlal

Year of publication:: 1968

Scope:: XVII, 296 S.

Digitisation:: 2022

Collection:: Economics Books

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Document type:: Monograph

Structure type:: Chapter

Title:: Chapter I. Antecedents

Collection:: Economics Books

ANTECEDENTS 15 but, when independent sovereign States developed in Islam, the tribute realised by a particular State came to be regarded, in practice if not in theory, as the revenue of the Ruler, and, in India at any rate, the word khardj can safely be translated as land-revenue, or more shortly “revenue.” In essence, this revenue consisted of a share of the produce of the land. The precise share was not laid down by Islamic law, but the underlying idea was that the profits of cultivation should be enjoyed by Moslems, and the only limit recognised by Aba Yisuf (59, 95), was the danger of checking production by over-assessment. The actual claim was decided by the Ruler in accordance with local conditions, but he was free to demand the full economic rent, or Producer’s Surplus, whatever it might be, provided always that such a demand did not cause the peasants to abscond, or reduce the area of their cultivation. The method of assessment also was left to be decided by the Ruler, and in the pages of Abi Yisuf? we meet with the two methods which have already been described under the names of Sharing and Measurement. Abii Yasuf contemplated the maintenance of direct relations between the Governor (Walz) and the peasants, and he tells us little about Intermediaries. He condemned (159, 160) Farming as oppressive, but his observations show that it was familiar to him in practice; and he con- sidered it to be legitimate in the case where the peasants put forward one of their number to engage for the total revenue due from them, an arrangement practically identical with that which I have called Group-assessment. I have not traced in his pages any direct authority for assessment through Chiefs, or for Grants or Assignments, but it is certain that these institutions were familiar to the Moslems who established the first kingdom of Delhi. Endowments for pious purposes are an integral part of Islamic law: L A discussion of the various terms denoting land-revenue will be found in Appendix A. t See (e.g.) p- 56; the land was measured, and a charge, partly cash and partly kind, was made on each unit of area; this is what I call Measurement. So (p. 74. 76), he recommends a share of the produce. to be determined or estimated, and valued at current prices; this is Sharing

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