A review of the book 'The Economy of the Maratha Kingdom c. 1595–1707' written by Dr. Kedar Phalke.
The book, steeped in thorough research and quantitative analysis, presents to the readers a rich view of the Maratha economy and politics of the seventeenth century. The author takes the readers on an exciting journey to understand how governance of the Maratha Kingdom functioned in the most effective manner. The Economy of the Maratha Kingdom is an excellent account of many untold facts that have been unearthed by the author through his years of dedicated research.
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Coming up: A review of the book 'The Economy of the Maratha Kingdom c. 1595–1707' written by Dr. Kedar Phalke.
Namaste Friends. My name is 'Shinil Subramanian Payamal' and you are listening to the Historylogy podcast.
Before I proceed, a full disclosure: This book was bought with my own money and not been provided to me by the author or publisher.
Little bit about the author:
Kedar Mahadevrao Phalke earned his Masters in Commerce and Management from Shivaji University, Kolhapur. He completed his postdoctoral research from Deccan College Post-Graduate and Research Institute, Pune. His doctoral thesis Administrative System of Chhatrapati Shivaji: Relevance to Modern Management was thoroughly eulogized. Among his many other books, he has authored Adnyapatra: Shivchhatrapatinchi Rajneeti, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Shivraj Bhushan, Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharajanchi Rajneeti, Shivchhatrapatincha Warsa: Swarajya te Samrajya, The Legacy of Chhatrapati Shivaji: Kingdom to Empire and Forts Architecture of Chhatrapati Shivaji.
He has received scholarships to conduct research on different subjects from prestigious institutes such as The Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, Pune and Indian Council of Historical Research, Delhi. He is a life member of Bharat Itihas Sanshodhak Mandal, Pune, Shri Shivaji Raigad Smarak Mandal, Pune and The Asiatic Society, Mumbai.
Let me read what is written on inside flap of the cover of the book:
QUOTE
In seventeenth-century India, the Marathas were rooted in the vocation of cultivation, working as tillers, peasants and landowners. They were also active in the field of politics and administration, and the rulers of the Maratha clan were revered for service to their subjects.
In his classic work The Economy of the Maratha Kingdom, historian Kedar Phalke, through his in-depth research, provides an excellent account of the Maratha Kingdom’s economy, administration and social structure in seventeenth-century India.
This book sheds light on a variety of issues that played a role in the rise of the kingdom, including revenue administration, agrarian economy, markets of the seventeenth century, sources of revenue, diffusion and consumption of revenue, foreign trade, currency system, demography and Mughal decline.
The book, steeped in thorough research and quantitative analysis, presents to the readers a rich view of the Maratha economy and politics of the seventeenth century. The author takes the readers on an exciting journey to understand how governance of the Maratha Kingdom functioned in the most effective manner. The Economy of the Maratha Kingdom is an excellent account of many untold facts that have been unearthed by the author through his years of dedicated research.
UNQUOTE
The first line of the Preface starts with:
This research is a postdoctoral thesis that took complete shape in the five years between 2015-2019 under the supervision of Professor Pramod Joglekar.
Further, the author states the three main objectives of this research, namely:
1. To study the economy of the Maratha kingdom during the seventeenth century
2. To examine the economic governance of the Maratha kingdom
3. To study the economic drain and bankruptcy of the Mughal Empire, in the context of the Marathas
“The Economy of the Maratha Kingdom” by Kedar Phalke offers a comprehensive insight into this kingdom’s economy, administration, and social structure. The book delves into revenue administration, agrarian economy, markets, revenue sources, foreign trade, currency systems, demography, and the decline of the Mughal Empire which obviously coincided with the rise of the Maratha Empire. There is a separate chapter dedicated to this.
The contents are divided into twelve chapters and are complemented by illustrations, maps, abbreviations, four appendices, notes, and a glossary to enhance clarity. The bibliography lists the various resources and materials used by the author during his research. The language, narration, content, and artifacts presented in the book are captivating and commendable.
Led by influential administrators like Shahji, Shivaji, Dadaji Kondadeo, Moropant Pingale, Annaji Datto, Sambhaji, Rajaram, and Ramchandrapant, the Marathas introduced a distinctive land revenue system. In contrast to the Mughals, the Marathas upheld fairness and avoided oppressive land revenue and tax practices, ensuring equitable treatment and nondiscrimination.
They refrained from imposing harsh taxes on other religions, such as kharaj and jiziya. Unlike the Mughals, the Marathas were committed to preserving culture and refrained from engaging in social degradation or cultural destruction.
In the Maratha kingdom, every official and worker, either civil or military, was paid in cash directly from the government at the end of every month. This was the most revolutionary improvement, which was not seen anywhere else in India; not only in the time of Shivaji but even in the beginning of the English rule in India.
Conclusion:
This meticulously researched book is just over 550 pages and Dr. Kedar Phalke proves once again why he is easily one of the best, if not the best historian of his generation. I highly recommend this seminal book to anyone who is interested in learning about economics of the seventeenth century and to learn relevant lessons which are critical even today.
I give this book a rating of 4.75/5.
The book is available for around Rs. 775/- on Amazon India and for the same price on Flipkart. And it is available for $22.78 USD on Amazon USA. I have given the respective buy links in the show notes. Please check them out for the latest prices.
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