[Solved] Todarmal and the Development of Ain-i-Dahsala

During Akbar period, land revenue system 'Ain-i-Dahsala' was developed by:

[R.A.S./R.T.S. Pre 2010]

Detailed Solution & Historical Context

Concept

Revenue stability was the secret to the Mughal Empire’s long life. The Ain-i-Dahsala system replaced annual price fixing with a more predictable and scientific data-driven model.

Authentic Source Evidence

Raja Todar Mal, Akbar’s finance minister and one of the 'Navaratnas,' developed the Ain-i-Dahsala system around 1580–82. This system calculated the revenue based on the average yield and prices of crops over the past ten (dah) years, ensuring a fair and consistent tax rate.

Analytical Breakdown

Logic 1: It resolved the chaos of fluctuating market prices, as the state no longer had to set new rates every year.

Logic 2: Todar Mal’s expertise in land measurement and crop surveys made him the architect of the most stable revenue system in the early modern world.

Conceptual Deep Dive & Logic

"What was the main benefit of the Dahsala system?"

It provided certainty to the peasants about their tax liability and ensured a steady income for the imperial treasury.

Examiner's Mindset & Pro-Tip

"Todar Mal's system turned the Mughal state into a 'statistical state' that relied on centuries of data and precision surveying."

Topic Clusters (click to see related topic questions)

Dahsala 3 Bigha 3 Navaratnas 10

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