Mogul Empire: Political & Economic Structures PDF

**Mogul Empire: Political and Economic Structures** **Political Structure** The Mughal state was established by Sultan Babur in 1526. But he died two years later, so it wasn\'t really Babur\'s leadership that sustained his dynasty. That success belonged to his grandson, who managed to expand Mugha...

**Mogul Empire: Political and Economic Structures** **Political Structure** The Mughal state was established by Sultan Babur in 1526. But he died two years later, so it wasn\'t really Babur\'s leadership that sustained his dynasty. That success belonged to his grandson, who managed to expand Mughal territories and establish a highly efficient governance structure. Establishing a firm rule in the Indian Subcontinent for nearly 200 years, the Mughals built an Empire with not only great political might but also a firm administrative setup. From the organization of power to creating conducive conditions for economic and cultural growth, the Mughals reigned over one of the most powerful and wealthiest empires in history. This was an especially remarkable feat given that the Mughals\--originating from the mountainous region north of the Indus River valley in Central Asia\--were not natives of the Indian subcontinent and ruled over an empire that was made up of mostly Hindi and other non-Muslims subjects. To rule over a vast territory and diverse subjects, the Mughal rulers established a complex, decentralized bureaucracy. The Mughals emperor held the highest power and was advised by a network of high-ranking Mughal officers, the highest being the chief administrator, known as the ***Wazir.*** Religious scholars also played an important role\--the extent of which varied under different reigns\--in the empire. These scholars were headed by the ***Sadr*** who was in charge of religious matters and education. But while the Mughal emperor was the central administrative authority, the empire was in fact organized as a collection of semi-independent states or provinces, referred to as ***Suba.*** each locally governed by a governor. Akbar set the firm base for the provincial administration by fixing the territories of the provincial units and establishing a uniform administrative model subject to minor amendments to suit local circumstances. Each province was locally governed by a governor referred to as a ***Subahdar*.** Next in authority was the ***Zamindar*** who was in charge of collecting land taxes for the Mughal empire. Both Muslims and non-Muslims could occupy these positions, when the Mughal emperor awarded them land grants. These military and civil leaders maintained cavalry (armed horsemen) ready for battle, and they collected taxes on behalf of the empire. In return, they got land rights, payment, and status. **Economic Structure** By the 17 century, the Mughal Empire was the largest manufacturing and economic power in the world. The famous Taj Mahal, one of the new Seven Wonders of the World, is a prime example of the Mughal wealth. Around 1700, the GDP of the Mughal Empire had risen to 24% of the world economy surpassing both China and entire Western Europe. The Mughal Empire became the world's dominant power. The wealth of the Mughal Empire around the year 1700 would translate to a staggering \$21 trillion today. The Mughals economic structure was dominated by trade and manufacturing. The Mughals had built their empire by making good use of India\'s resources, developing its production capacity, and supporting a very rich Muslim-dominated trade system in the Indian Ocean. India was at the center of a global market for goods in which Muslims, from many backgrounds and regions, were the principal dealers. Additionally, the Europeans connected the world through sea lanes and the Mughal Empire became integrated into international trade. Through trade, silver from the Spanish Americas poured into the empire. Spices from the Far East traveled through the empire to Europe. The most traded spice, the black pepper, originated from India. By the fifteenth century, Indians had taken advantage of growing global markets to expand textile production and distribution. And trade was really spiced up by the nutmeg, mace, cloves, cardamom and cinnamon coming out of Indonesia\'s \"spice islands\". Other than black pepper, India didn\'t grow many spices of its own, but it was the world\'s trans-shipment center for spices. Columbus had sailed on behalf of the King and Queen of Spain in 1492 to get easier access to that flavorful wealth. By 1750, almost every household in London and Lisbon had a pepper pot! Europe wanted Mughal products, especially cotton and silk textiles. The high-quality cotton fabric from India was much more comfortable to wear than wool or linen. Actually, the English word for the "pyjamas" originated from the Hindi word "pajama", meaning the "loose trousers". By the late 17 century, 90% of imported goods into Britain were traded via India. While most of the population farmed foods such as rice, Mughal India had a thriving manufacturing industry. The Mughals were the world's leaders in manufacturing at the end of the 17th century, producing 25% of the world's industrial output. Cotton textiles, in particular, was a vital part of the Mughal's manufacturing power, accounting for 25% of the world's textile manufacturing output. The Mughal empire produced a massive quantity of hand-loom textiles for the Indian Ocean economy. The trade in cotton and silk fabrics had brought great wealth to India as early as the fifth century BCE (during the Roman Empire). High demand for these items had attracted traders from as far as China in the East and Persia in the West. Europe too wanted Mughal products, especially cotton and silk textiles. The high-quality cotton fabric from India was much more comfortable to wear than wool or linen. Actually, the English word for the "pyjamas" originated from the Hindi word "pajama", meaning the "loose trousers". Half of the manufacturing power of the Mughal Empire came from the province of **Bengal Subah**. The province encompassed much of modern Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal and it accounted for 12% of the world's GDP. Today's equivalent would be the combined GDPs of Italy, the UK, France, Brazil, and Canada. The living standards in the Bengal Subah were better than those in Great Britain, which had the highest living standards in Europe. As Mughal power diminished, Europeans--- especially British colonialists and merchants---stepped in to reap the profits. This article is adapted from the following sources: 1. 2. 3.