State and Locality in Mughal India: Power Relations in Western India, c.1572-1730 (University of Cambridge Oriental Publications, Series Number 61)

This examination of the interaction between state and society greatly contributes to our understanding of medieval India. The Mughal empire, one of the most powerful states in pre-British India with an impressive administrative structure and an aristocratic high culture, has long held a fascination for historians. Exploring the Mughal State on the basis of extant local documents not previously treated by historians, this book demonstrates that the state was deeply entangled with social forces. This Book Presents An Exploratory Study Of The Mughal State And Its Negotiation With Local Power Relations. By Studying The State From The Perspective Of The Localities And Not From That Of The Mughal Court, It Shifts The Focus From The Imperial Grid To The Local Arenas, And, More Significantly, From 'form' To 'process'. As A Result, The Book Offers A New Interpretation Of The System Of Rule Based On An Appreciation Of The Local Experience Of Imperial Sovereignty, And The Inter-connections Between The State And The Local Power Relations. The Book Knits Together The Systems- And Action-theoretic Approaches To Power, And Presents The Mughal State As A Dynamic Structure In Constant Change And Conflict. The Study, Based On Hitherto Unexamined Local Evidence, Highlights The Extent To Which The Interactions Between State And Society Helped To Shape The Rule Structure, The Normative System And 'the Moral Economy Of The State'.--jacket. I. Introduction -- Ii. Conquest And Sovereignty -- Iii. The System Of Rule -- Iv. Order And Disorder -- V. Women, Kin And Shari'a -- Vi. The State And The Local Complexes Of Power -- Vii. The Fiscal System -- Viii. Conclusion. Farhat Hasan. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 132-140) And Index. The Mughal Empire has long held a fascination for historians, resulting in a rich historiographical tradition on the subject. This book examines the Mughal state on the basis of hitherto unexplored local documents and provides an exciting new interpretation of the relationship between state and society.