Sikka & the Raj

In the process of colonization of India by the British, currency proved to be a vital weapon as it directly affected almost every aspect of the economic life of the society. The book encapsulates the story of Indian currency during the early days of the colonial rule in India. It presents a comprehe [...]
Visa längre beskrivning

In the process of colonization of India by the British, currency proved to be a vital weapon as it directly affected almost every aspect of the economic life of the society. The book encapsulates the story of Indian currency during the early days of the colonial rule in India. It presents a comprehensive account of the currency policy of the British East India Company, which it pursued to establish a uniform currency in India. The process of currency legislations enacted by the Company, the circumstances leading to the adoption of these legislations, as well as the effects of these legislations on the prevailing economic conditions in the country, have been analysed with a view to establish a relationship between the stability of the currency vis-a-vis the economic colonization of India by the East India Company. By integrating numismatic data with the archival sources, the book scrutinizes various internal and external forces which were at work in shaping the monetary structure during early days of the colonial rule in India, and presents a new insight about the role of currency in the colonization process of India.The objective of this study is not merely to have a 'cause and effect' understanding of the currency reforms carried out by the East India Company, but also to delve into the often-overlooked or neglected prognosis of the what and how of its process. All related archival material a series of 39 Regulations (1793-1833) and two Acts (1835) has been incorporated in the appendices which makes this book a veritable tool for reference and further research.