Theory of Government in Ancient India (Post-Vedic) c8.72

c8.72

the biggest business concern. The proceeds from the crown lands themselves, and such of the revenue as was paid in kind, formed vast store. From the land and ocean mines came untold quantities of salt, pearls, precious stones and metals. The forest yielded not only the most valuable timbers, but firewood, fodder, and animal products—teeth and tusks, bones and horns, hides, and so forth. The king's merchandise should generally be exposed in definite places for sale in wooden boxes with apertures on top. But pedlars might occasionally be employed. It found a market in foreign lands where the proceeds were to be utilised for settling 'international' payments. In the case of state monopolies, the Superintendent of Commerce is told not to insist on profits burdensome to the people. The sale of commodities which were in frequent demand, roughly those which modern theory would class as essential or useful, was neither to be localised nor restricted in time. The prices of state goods were to be fixed by the Superintendent after a comprehensive study of the markets.¹