Price Control Policy of Alauddin Khalji: Achievement Or Failure
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Price Control Policy of Alauddin Khalji: Achievement or Failure *Humera Naz Abstract The current study is focused on to the introduction and evaluation of Price Control Policy of Allauddin Khalji. When he ascended the throne, the kingdom was in complete disorder. As a consequence of rising powers of the zamindars and the Mongol threat, trade and agriculture were paralyzed. This paper covers all these problems and tries to explore the causes of Allauddin Khalji’s Price Control Policy. The study also provide a comprehensive account of all steps taken for price control including fixation of prices of commodities, royal granaries, strict action on hoarders, strong espionage system, strict action on complaints, establishment of ‘ Diwan-i-Riyasat ’, and elimination of dallal (middleman). It particularly highlights major steps adopted for the successful implementation of the policy. Key Words: Allauddin Khalji, Price Control Policy, India, Sultanate of Delhi, Administrative Reforms *Department of History (Gen) University of Karachi Price Control Policy of Alauddin Khalji: Introduction Allauddin Khalji was the second monarch of the Khalji Dynasty who ruled over India from 1290 to 1320 A.D under the banner of Sultanate of Delhi. He was an able administrator, who surpassed his predecessors. Most of his successors regard his achievements and reputation. He was the first to conquer Hindu states of Deccan and it was he who fought against on slaughter of the Mongols and under who power the Mongols were suppressed and crushed 1. He can be attributed as the fore-runner of Sher Shah and Akbar. He laid the foundation of an empire based upon a policy of imperialism, secularization of the state and comprehensive administrative system. Alauddin, however, was the first who introduced price control policy in India. Alauddin Khalji’s Price Control Besides administrative, social and public reforms, the economic reforms of Alauddin are considered as the ‘miracles of history’2. Alauddin was the first person to give the concept of Planned Economy in medieval period which was, later on, adopted by Sher Shah Suri and Akbar the Great. The most significant aspect of his economic reforms was his Price Control Policy which distinguishes him for his acumen and intelligence from all his contemporaries. This policy of Allauddin Khalji has always been admired by all the historians and the scholars of all the ages. Stanley Lanepool opines that “What made Alauddin distinguished from other monarchs of Delhi is his Price Control Policy” 3. According to S. M.Ikram, “His policy was the marvel of the age.”4 Lanepool also pays regard to him by saying that, “He is the greatest political economist.” 5 Price Control: Its Purposes The historians have different views about the reasons for the Alauddin’s Price Control Policy. Ziauddin Barni in his book ‘ Tareekh-i- 1 . M. H. Syed , History of Delhi Sultanate, Vol. I (New Delhi: Anmol Publications Pvt. Ltd., 2004), p. 84. 2 . Peter Jacson, The Delhi Sultanate: A Political and Military History (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1999), p. 156. 3 . Satnley Lane-Poole, Medieval India under Mohammadan Rule (712-1764 A.D.) (London: Book Surge Publishing, 2002), p. 192. 4 . S.M.Ikram, History of Muslim Civilization in India and Pakistan (Lahore: Education Publishers, 1962), p. 82. 5 . Op. cit., Lane-pool, p. 187. 68 Jhss, Vol. 1, No.2 , July to December 2010 Firoz Shahi’ describes that Alauddin had made such a policy because he had to maintain a large army due to the threat of Mongols, to increase the royal grandeur, to achieve the economic stability and to get rid of social injustice. 6 Dr. K.S. Lal commented favorably. He writes, “He had to maintain a large army due to the permanent Mongol threat, due to which he had to make an effective price control policy.” 7 However, Allauddin needed to maintain a large army to resist Mongols but also to carry on campaigns of conquests as he is regarded as an imperialist too. The political successes during Alauddin’s period were backed by administrative measures. The conjunction of a Mongol raid to the Jumna, a disaster in Waringal and difficult campaigns in Rajputana, made an increase in the standing army seem necessary, and a number of rebellions raised the problem of internal security. Similarly, R.C. Majumdar opines that Alauddin rightly realized that a strong army was an indispensable requisite for the system of government; he had been trying to build up. But its efficient maintenance required a huge expenditure at a time when the influx of wealth from the South had caused a fall in the value of money and augmented the prices of articles 8. In order to overcome this inflation, Alauddin introduced the wage and price control policy. On the other hand, L.P. Sharma gives another reason for this inflation. He writes that ‘Alauddin had distributed wealth lavishly among his subjects which reduced the value of the currency in the market. Therefore, it became necessary for Alauddin to reduce the salary of his soldiers and also to reduce the cost of articles in the market’ 9. He wanted provision of necessities of life to his soldiers and subjects on fixed prices in order to keep state intact. 10 Dr. K.S. Lal strengthens this view point when he writes: ‘It was simple arithmetical calculation and simple economic principle; since he had decided to reduce and fix the salary of soldiers, he also decided to reduce and fix the prices of common use”. 11 Yet the primary reason of controlling the market by Alauddin was not to reduce the salary of his soldiers but to check the rising prices of different articles in terms of inflation. “As for the amount of salary we 6 . Ibid., pp. 446-447. 7 . K. S. Lal, History of the Khaljis (Bombay: Asian Publishing House, 1967), p. 197. 8 . R. C. Majumdar, An Advanced History of India (Lahore: Aziz Publishers, 1980), p.308. 9 . L. P. Sharma, History of Medieval India, (1000-1740 A.D.) (India: Konark Publishers Pvt. Ltd., n.d.), p. 90. 10 . Op. cit., Peter Jackson, p. 173. 11 . Op. cit., K.S. Lal, p. 197. 69 Price Control Policy of Alauddin Khalji: find that Alauddin gave 234 tankas per year i.e.19½ tanka s per month. 12 This amount certainly was not a small sum for the first decade of the 14 th century when we find that Akbar calculated the salary of a ‘ tabinan’ at the rate of Rs. 240/- per annum while during the reign of Shah Jahan it was Rs. 200/= per annum. Thus Alauddin paid to a soldier only Rs. 6/- per annum less than what Akbar paid and Rs. 34/- per annum, more than what Shah Jahan paid. We cannot, therefore, say that Alauddin paid a low salary to his soldiers.” 13 Alauddin did not fix the prices of different articles lower than the prevalent prices of those articles in places around Delhi. Besides, the prices fixed by Alauddin were not very different from what we find then afterwards during the reign of Firoz Shah Tughlaq. Barni writes in this regard that “the villagers for their personal benefit used to bring personally as much of the grain as they could from their storage and used to sell them in the ‘ mandi ’ at the government rates.”14 Certainly there was a margin of profit left to them in the prices fixed by the Sultan. Here question arises that when Alauddin did not fix the prices lower than the country–side and these was certainly not below the normal prices then what was the need of fixing the prices and taking strong measures to see that these were observed? The answer of this question is that Delhi in Alauddin Khalji’s time had become the capital of a mighty empire and a central mart with a rapidly increasing population to which the constant movement of the merchants added a floating population. It also had become a large cantonment. This entire situation not merely intensified the demand for food-grain but also introduced a strong cash nexus and increased the money circulation.15 However, these factors inevitably produced inflationary conditions because the price of a commodity is not merely governed by the intensity of demand but also directly proportion to the amount of money in circulation. This condition offered an opportunity to the business community to increase the prices by creating artificial scarcity. Therefore, it may infer that ‘Alauddin’s motive was to check the rising prices which were due to manipulation of the business community and not to produce the prices to a lower level than the normal.’ 16 This view point is quite logical, yet, it has also to be 12 . The value of a tanka was a little more than that of a rupee. 13 . Dr. U . N. Day, Some Aspects of Medieval Indian History (New Delhi: Kumar Brothers, 1971), p. 128. 14 . Op. cit., Barni, Sp. 319 15 . Op. cit., Dr. Day, p. 135. 16 . Ibid., p. 137. 70 Jhss, Vol. 1, No.2 , July to December 2010 accepted that the necessity of his market-policy arose because of the necessity of keeping a huge standing army and paying it in cash. According to some historians, another reason for this policy was humanitarian. Sultan desired that all his subjects should get all necessary articles in sufficient quality and at proper price. Therefore, he fixed the prices of all articles. This opinion is mostly based on the narrative given by Shaikh Nasiruddin Chiragh in his work, ‘ Khairul Majalis’ which he wrote in Feroz’s reign 17 and by Amir Khusro who praised the economic measures of Alauddin in his work, Khazain-ul- Futuh.18 But both of these sources are not very much dependable and, therefore, not sufficient to justify this humanitarian motive.