Life and Conditions of the People of Hindustan (1200–1550 A.D.) c6.s1.7

c6.s1.7

In the period under review, the village community was a working institution in full vigour, and determined the economic outlook of the vast majority of the population of Hindustan. Its leading economic feature was production mainly for purposes of local consumption. Industries on a large scale were carried on in a few localized areas which were as a rule situated at the mouth of certain navigable rivers through which raw materials could be imported with facility, or else in the close vicinity of an area where raw material was available in sufficient quantities to feed them. Apart from a very few inland centres of other provinces, Bengal and Gujarat, because of their shipping facilities, were the chief industrial provinces which worked certain industries, collected the surplus of finished products from the inland centres of other provinces and exported them abroad. In this manner, while the vast majority occupied itself with agricultural pursuits, a small proportion engaged in trade and industry, and a few rich people lived on commerce with foreign nations.¹ This gave rise to a little urban life in a few big towns which also served as the seat of local or provincial administration. The towns were usually walled and protected and also served as centres of refuge to the neighbouring population in times of danger and insecurity. In times of peace, they served as centres of distribution of agricultural produce and industrial goods. In general we might say that though the towns led the country in social and intellectual culture, they were not of sufficient economic importance to modify the economic outlook of the people as a whole.²