History of the Khaljis, A.D. 1290–1320 c17.13

c17.13

In fact high prices mean a high standard of living. 'Alāūddīn did not want to pay high salaries. He did not want people to be rich lest they should be refractory and turbulent. Naturally, if he wanted to pay lower salaries he had to lower the prices of commodities. 'Alāūddīn may not have known such principles of Political Economy, but one thing is certain that his reduction of salaries and his revenue regulations directly, and his market control indirectly, impoverished his subjects. Ziyāuddin Barani is quite correct when he says that the sultan lowered the prices of commodities, firstly, because he wanted to reduce the salaries of the soldiers to relieve pressure on the imperial exchequer, and secondly, because he wanted to keep them contented with their meagre pay.