With reference to the guilds (Shreni) of ancient India that played a very important role in the country’s economy, which of the following statements is /are correct? 1. Every guild was registered with the central authority of the State and the king was the chief administrative authority on them. 2. The wages, rules of work, standards and prices were fixed by the guild. 3. The guild had judicial powers over its own members. Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

QUESTION

Hard

Ancient History

Prelims 2012

With reference to the guilds (Shreni) of ancient India that played a very important role in the country’s economy, which of the following statements is /are correct?

Every guild was registered with the central authority of the State and the king was the chief administrative authority on them.
The wages, rules of work, standards and prices were fixed by the guild.
The guild had judicial powers over its own members.

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

Select an option to attempt

Explanation

Statement 1 is Incorrect: While the king exercised a general supervision to ensure guilds did not violate state laws, guilds were largely autonomous bodies. The king was not the chief administrative authority over them; instead, each guild was headed by a chief (Jetthaka or Pramukha) and assisted by an executive committee.

Statement 2 is Correct: Shrenis (guilds) functioned as self-regulatory organizations that fixed the wages of workers, rules of work, quality standards for products, and the prices of commodities to maintain stability in the market.

Statement 3 is Correct: Guilds possessed formal judicial authority over their members. They settled internal disputes according to their own customary laws, known as Shreni-dharma, and these decisions were generally recognized and upheld by the king.

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