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History of the world economy - Polyak GB

6. Peculiarities of the Economic Evolution of Ancient India

Among civilizations and ancient states that have arisen on the planet, a special place is occupied by the Indian civilization, which had a huge impact on the development of the economy and culture of all Southeast Asia.

The emergence of states, the development of the economy

Since ancient times, the peninsula of Hindustan was inhabited by man - tribes of Dravidians . The range of their habitat from the north was limited by the Himalayas, from the west and the east by the waters of the ocean. This fence from the outside world was expressed in the identity of the population and its culture. For the habitation of people the most favorable areas were the valleys of the rivers Indus and Ganges and their tributaries. The hot climate and lack of precipitation required irrigated agriculture, which in turn forced people to unite for irrigation work.

Already in the III millennium BC. E. The indigenous population in the north of the peninsula was created states and cities of Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa, excavations in which indicate a high level of economy and culture of local residents.

The city of Mohenjo-Daro was the largest for its time, its area reached 260 hectares. In the city there were large buildings of 200 m2 or more. In the center of the city was an artificial pool 3 m deep, laid out in two rows of bricks. The city had running water. Water entered the city and was bred on its territory along ceramic pipes. In order to avoid water leakage, there were flanges at the ends of the pipes. The joints of the pipes were sealed with asphalt. In the houses of wealthy people there were bathrooms and toilets. The city also had a sewage system. Sewage from residential buildings fell into the street sewer network and on them were taken out of the city limits.

Trade was also developed . This is evidenced by the remains of the covered large market with constant counters, found weights, large storage facilities. The inhabitants had their own hieroglyphic writing. There were trade relations with the states of Mesopotamia, on the territories of which seals were found with ancient Indian inscriptions.

The main occupation of the population was agriculture. Cultivated wheat, barley, vegetables. From ancient times (V millennium BC), cotton was cultivated here, and from the fourth millennium BC to the present, E. - sugarcane. For the cultivation of soil, a plow with a flint was used. The farmers were free community members, from whom natural taxes were levied in favor of the tsar. In the economy of the tsar, churches, large landowners, slave labor was used.

High-level crafts have been achieved . Ceramic production used a potter's wheel. Vessels and bricks were fired in special furnaces. Copper, tin, lead, gold and silver were extracted. Bronze and other alloys of metals were produced. In the metalworking already used casting, sheet forging and rivets. Weaving used cotton as a raw material. Jewelry was developed. Products were made of gold, silver, stones.

The level of building craftsmanship is evidenced by excavations of ancient cities.

In the middle of the II millennium BC. E. The ancient states of India were conquered by the tribes of the Aryans, descended from the Hindu Kush mountains. The Arias were nomads, pastoralists, who, in search of new pastures, first captured the Indus Valley, and then the Ganges. The economic and cultural level of the Aryans was lower than the peoples they had conquered. They destroyed the ancient cities. The culture of agriculture has also decayed. The main activity for a long time was nomadic cattle breeding.

Over time, the arias began to borrow from the indigenous population the culture of agriculture. The population lived in family communities, with common ownership. Gradually, the family communities were transformed into rural communities, governed by village elders. The land was owned by the communities. As far as the property stratification in the communities, the right of private ownership of land appeared.

Wars gave prisoners of war, who became slaves and worked for well-to-do members of the communities. Among the well-off officials were elected, who managed the economy of the community or led the military operations. They appropriated the right to distribute communal products, military booty and slaves.

Gradually, in order to preserve the gained privileges and captured community values, a social system of varnas (castes) is created in India . By the laws of Manu and Anastamba, all the inhabitants of the country were divided into four castes: brahmanas (priests), kshatriyas (warriors), vaisis (farmers, artisans, merchants), sudras (people without property, and slaves). Privileged position occupied the first two castes. Laws forbade the mixing of people of different castes.

God Brahma

By the VI. BC. E. In the north-eastern part of India there were several states. The largest were Magadha and Kashala, who fought for hegemony in the area. In the V century. BC. E. Magadha wins in this fight. North-West India in the VI. BC. E. Falls under the authority of the Persian king Darius I. However, in 327 BC. E. Alexander of Macedon, having broken Darius's troops, captured North-West India. After Alexander's death, the Indian state was created as a result of the liberation movement led by Chandragupta. The heirs of Chandragupta have expanded it. Thus, the composition of this state included part of Afghanistan and Balochistan, Northern India and the Dean,