The Inner Conflict of Tradition: Essays in Indian Ritual, Kingship, and Society c5.34

c5.34

As argued, the lack of resources blocked the way toward a change in this relationship. The first requirement for modernity to be effective would therefore seem to be a new base of resources free from commitments to the traditional arrangements. In itself, however, this is not sufficient, for nothing prevents these resources from also being absorbed in the traditional way. Thus, for instance, the extra resources obtained by a successful war (or rather, raiding activities) easily melt away in the existing channels of distribution without causing any structural change. Or, as the *Arthaśāstra* revealingly puts it, the conqueror should give all his allies their due from the war loot, even if he should lose by it, for in this way he will be agreeable to the "circle of kings."³² What modernity therefore has to be based on, apart from a new resource base, is a new pattern of distribution, a pattern no longer governed by the ramification of personal relations but by an impersonal code of principles and rules. This means that the realm of politics and the stuff it is made of—power and resources—must be set apart and safeguarded against the demands of the traditional order.