The Political Institutions and Theories of the Hindus: A Study in Comparative Politics c10.s1.t9.9

c10.s1.t9.9

The city tried to protect the consumers by market laws both as regards weights and measures as well as prices. In regard to the sale of bony flesh it was the law that butchers must give towards compensation as much more meat as was equivalent to the weight of the bone. False balance was punished with a fine of eight times the value of the meat sold. “Profiteering” was carefully guarded against, as there was an official attempt to regulate the prices of commodities. The pious wish was also expressed that such large profits as are ruinous to the people should be abandoned.¹