A History of Agriculture in India v1.c3.10

v1.c3.10

Agriculture should not be considered in isolation from the life of the people and the political scene. Emerging from a tribal society, the Hindu kings had to knit together far-flung areas. In the absence of roads and means of communication it was a difficult task. Only a large army, and a bureaucracy to support it, could accomplish this task. As such, large quantities of surplus food had to be produced to feed the army and officials. At that stage it could only be done by bringing larger area under the plough after cutting jungles. This was what happened in Mauryan India. The government had to be kind to the farmers in its own interest. This was no longer the case when India came under the rule of aliens later on.