Discuss the extent to which Bernier's accounts enables historians to reconstruct CUtemporary rural society.

Discuss the extent to which Bernier's accounts enables historians to r

1.	Discuss the extent to which Bernier's accounts enables historians to reconstruct CUtemporary rural society.
Answer» Solution :Bernier.s assessnment about Indian rural society was not correct. It was far away from the truth, but it is not acceptable. There are some truth in his description which are evident from the following FACTS: (i) According to his aceount, Mughal empire was the owner of the land and distributed among its nobles. It had a disastrous irapact on the society. (ii) According to him the system of .erown ownership of land. was good. It was because, the land holders could not pass on their land to their children. They did not make any LONG term investment on the land. (iii) As there was no private property in land, there was not any improvement in the landlord class. This system ruin agriculture and led to opinion of peasants. Bernier.s view regarding Indian society had the following features: (i) The rich people were in MINORITY. (ii) It had the poorest of the poor and the richest of the rich, no middle class existed there. (iii) All the cities and TOWNS were ruined and had contaminated air.