The Warrior Merchants: Textiles, Trade and Territory in South IndiaThe standard image of Indian society emphasizes its largely agrarian economy and parochial outlook, yet this image ignores the major economic and political role of commerce and artisan production. This book presents a study of one of the most important artisan-merchant communities, the weavers, who form the second largest sector of the south Indian economy. It thus offers an important corrective to the unbalanced picture that we have of Indian social organization from those accounts that have focused almost exclusively on agrarian society. Professor Mines traces the role of the weaver-merchants in the organization, of south Indian states and society from the medieval period to the present, and shows that at times in their history they rivalled the status and power of the agriculturalists. He also demonstrates that, far from being provincial, the weavers have for centuries maintained supralocal organizations to administer their affairs and represent their interests. As the political economy has changed, so they have modified their organizations and created new ones better to fit changing conditions and interests. |
Other editions - View all
The Warrior Merchants: Textiles, Trade and Territory in South India Mattison Mines No preview available - 1984 |
The Warrior Merchants: Textiles, Trade and Territory in South India Mattison Mines No preview available - 2009 |
Common terms and phrases
administrative agricultural agriculturists Ammapettai appear artisan-merchants associated basis Beck behavior believe benefits Brahmans called caste's centers central century City claim Congress continued cooperative council created customs defined distinction division dominant economic Erode followed formed given gods Gounders groups hand handloom head honors identity important independence Indian society influence integrated interests involved Kaikkoolars kingly KonkunaaDu land leaders leadership left-hand castes living locality located maintained marriage means meeting merchants Murugan naaDu system networks non-Brahman offered officers organization paavaDi party period political president priests production puja rank region relations represent right-hand ritual role Salem Sangam segmented separate Seven-City Territory Shiva social society south Indian status structure supralocal symbolic Tamil Tamilnadu temple Territory textile tion towns trade traditional Trichengode VeLLaaLas village warrior weavers weaving worship