1/n #SadarPranam to Ishvara within you @irfhabib ji.

Will you call work of #IrfanHabib in regards to Mughals? Because his works don’t say so great about Akbar & Mughals as you portray.

Here are some citations from his works & other Scholars.

You may respond with Substance! https://twitter.com/irfhabib/status/1306105593682305027

2/n I’m first quoting from book “The Cambridge Economic History of India” edited by T Raychudhuri & Irfan Habib in regards to few economic troubles to Indians by Mughals. Read on.

3/n Irfan Habib gives account of money hoarding at large scale by Mughal Emperors including Akbar.

He quotes De Laet who mentions Akbar’s treasure to be ~522.4 million florins & Sarista Khan to have hoarded ₹380 million.

Was economy blooming?

Snippet pg 183

4/n Irfan Habib further talks of one way flow of wealth during Mughal Reign, ie :from outer provinces to the central parts of Empire.

He states: The Mughal Empire was a machine to extract resources...

An that’s how wealth of Golconda was drained.

Details in Snippet: Pg 184

5/n Irfan Habib quotes Ovington, for stating how “Baniyas” had to keep wealth secret fr them not to become wealth of Moghul officers.

Snippet: pg 185

6/n rfan Habib further talks about extortion & tendency to not return loan taken from merchants.

The merchants were always lived in fear of showing the wealth they had.

Snippet: pg 186

Definitely life of merchants was horrible in Mughal period.

7/n Irfan Habib further quotes Fryer to talk about the corruption @ the clerical level.

He says:besides Zakat(1/14th of travellers’ income)heavy toll tax was imposed. It’s a myth that Aurangzeb had removed toll tax.He quotes Thevenot to talk about excessive toll.
Snippet: Pg187

8/n He further writes on pg 188 that besides Jiziya, duty of 5% was imposed on Hindus while Muslims paid only 2.5%. This was evil intention of Aurangzeb as he wanted more Hindus to be converted.

9/n Not to forget Irfan Habib quotes Ovington on pg189 to explain that Hindus were often treated with inhumanity & neglect, bcoz of their adhesion to the principles of a religion which is different from that of the state.

This was happening under the Mughal reign.

10/n Irfan Habib categorically mentions wars & Mughal desire to conquer as major reason for economic failure of India, followed by their own decline. Moreover the tyranny of the governors was causing Merchants to shut business.

Following snippets explain at best(p192-95).

11/n Now @irfhabib let me mention another book which I believe u won’t call as crap.

People appreciate Akbar for better tax system.

But records say otherwise.

“Akbar’s taxes were highest”.

Ref: Muslim Civilization in India
by S. M. Ikram
edited by
Ainslie T. Embree

12/n @irfhabib now I’m citing Francois Bernier, who explains disgraceful Mughal Character.

“When the Ambassadors came to the court of Aurangzeb, they weren’t given enough respect for their gifts were considered cheap.” Ref: Pg 133-34, (book in snippet 3)