The Administration of the Sultanate of Dehli c11.177

c11.177

At first sight there seems to be a contradiction in these conclusions. It may be asked: what was the need of valuation if the state managed the assignments directly? And, then, how under a system of state-managed assignments, could there be a margin of profit for the assignee? The answer is that valuation would, to a certain extent, be necessary even if there were no assignments, because it was the medieval equivalent of budget estimates. The system of making assignments in area instead of in money was a matter of convenience, for it saved the state a great deal of trouble. The margin left in favour of the assignee was insurance against bad times. The system of assignments on the basis of valuation also gave the state the potential power of artificial inflation of the valuation which could be utilised in times of financial stringency.