The Political Institutions and Theories of the Hindus: A Study in Comparative Politics c11.t30.6

c11.t30.6

Such an imperial intervention in the *prakriti's* economic activity, or what is the same thing, such "state socialism" under "enlightened despots", must have been appreciated at least by the common laborer. The rate of wages in Maurya India was 5 *paṇas* a month or 15 dollars a year.⁴ It is interesting to observe that in Chola India in the eleventh and twelfth centuries a temple janitor earned 8¹/₃ Rupees per month, i. e. $ 30 a year.⁵ These rates, howsoever low by the present day American standard, were much above the Ricardian "iron law of wages" when compared with the current prices and the purchasing power of money during the two periods.⁶