Authentic Past Paper Standard Evaluation
With reference to forced labour (Vishti) in India during the Gupta period, which one of the following statements is correct?
Solution & Analysis
Answer: A
Concept
'Vishti' was a system of forced labor that functioned as an unconventional form of taxation where subjects contributed their physical work to the state instead of cash or produce.Explanation
Gupta-era inscriptions frequently list 'vishti' alongside other taxes. It was treated as a source of state income, and rights to this labor were often transferred to donees (recipients of land grants).Logical Breakup
Logic 1 (Correct): Option A is true; vishti was viewed as a sort of tax paid by people through labor.
Logic 2 (Incorrect): Inscriptions suggest vishti was actually *more* prevalent in Madhya Pradesh and Kathiawar, contradicting Option B.
Logic 3 (Incorrect): Being 'forced' labor, it did not involve regular wages (Option C), and there was no fixed rule regarding the 'eldest son' (Option D).