Discuss the political conditions in Northern India in the 6th century B.C. in detail?
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➥The Political Condition during 6th Century B.C. :
India, during the sixth century B.C., was divided into a number of Independent states and even north India had no single paramount power. Most of these states were monarchical but quite a large number of them had republican or oligarchic constitutions. The Buddhist and Jaina religious texts are more informative regarding them as compared to the Hindu religious texts.
➥Economic and Social Changes during 6th B.C. :
Besides the establishment of big empires another important feature which we find in India in the 6th century B.C. was increased prosperity and growth of towns. The Indian civilization was moving from village-life to town-life and by the 6th century B.C. had moved in this direction to a large extent. Therefore, we find growth of towns in every part of India.
Of course, the establishment of big empires was one reason of the growth of towns because several towns were built up as capital cities of empires while several others grew as centres of trade. Yet, the growing prosperity of India under changed economic circumstances was also responsible for the growth of towns and town-culture.
The one primary cause of the economic prosperity of India during that period was larger agriculture-production which was made possible because of the use of plough of iron in agriculture. It resulted in sowing of three crops instead of two and increase in the area of cultivation. Therefore, in villages too, we find rich people owning extensive land and amassing wealth.
Another reason of increased prosperity of India was its growth of foreign trade with the countries of the North-West, Western countries and several countries of Asia. A big empire had established in Iran (Persia) and the Iranians (Persians) had captured a part of north-western frontier of India. It provided facilities of contacts particularly that of trade not only between Iran and India but also between India and several other countries of Asia and that of Europe. There were several trade routes and roads connecting different parts of India in all directions.
The one trade route was from Kosambi, through Gangetic plain, to Punjab and then Taxila joining the routes to Iran, Central Asia, European countries and several countries of Asia. Another route started from Rajagraha and, passing through Kosambi and Ujjayini, was connected with the port of Baroach from where the trade was carried on with western countries through sea-route. One important route passed through the entire Gangetic plain and reached the boundary of Burma and, yet, another route connected northern plain with the sea- coast of south-east.
These routes developed because of increased trade and, in turn, helped in enhancing internal as well as external trade. External trade went in favour of India and that enhanced the prosperity of the Indians leading to the growth of towns. Among those towns of north India Champa, Kosambi, Rajagraha, Sravasti, Ujjayani, Vaisali, Camboja, Kosala, Varanasi and Pataliputra were the most important ones.
The increased prosperity of the Indians affected their social structure as well. Towns became not only the centres of trade but centres of industries as well. Various goods were produced on a large scale to feed the foreign trade and that could be possible only in towns or, vice versa, towns grew up where goods were produced on a large scale. By that time, Indian rulers had started minting good coins of different metals. Coins of large variety and of silver and other metals issued by rulers of that age have been discovered from different parts of India.
It helped in the development of trade and growth of industries because coins proved to be a good medium of exchange and, thus, facilitated transactions. The growth of trade and industry formed rich trading and industrial communities which concentrated themselves in towns.
We find existence of different guilds formed by traders and industrialists during this period. Besides, labour and craftsmen also gathered in towns in large numbers. Different craftsmen formed their different groups and organisations which helped in making different professions hereditary. Besides, it created various organised and consciously awakened groups in towns which, finally, resulted in the formation of several sub-castes.
The changed economic and social circumstances influenced contemporary religious thought. The formation of awakened groups of traders, industrialists and labour resulted in putting a challenge to the supremacy of the Brahmanas.
➠ Thus, we find that the 6th century B.C. proved important not only because of certain useful political changes but also because of changes in economic, social and religious condition of the people which all affected not only their own times but also the times to come.