The Mauryan Polity c10.s3.t4: Control of manufacture
The Mauryan Polity c10.s3.t4
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Control of manufacture
c10.s3.t4.1
The fifth Board concerned itself with the control of manufactured articles. Here also the same regulations were in practice. Perhaps this refers to the manufactures run by the Department of the state in its manufactories. Kauṭalya is very particular in regard to the purity and good quality of the articles sold. A distinction was maintained between old commodities in stock and fresh supplies.¹ If articles inferior in quality were sold as good ones, the sellers were liable to a heavy fine.² In accordance with the economic laws of supply and demand the sale of manufactured articles like that of liquor was centralised or decentralised. It was an offence to sell bad liquor and bony flesh.³ It is prescribed that only articles of good quality were to be sold. And if bad ones were offered for sale, the price was to be fixed considerably below the market-price.
c10.s3.t4.2
¹ Bk. II, ch. 15.
c10.s3.t4.3
² Bk. IV, ch. 11.
c10.s3.t4.4
³ Bk. II, ch. 25 and 26.
Linked texts (1)
- Kauṭilīya Arthaśāstra — Kauṭilya, Sanskrit