Unraveling the history of slavery in ancient Indian society

Md. Anowar Hossain; Sadia Sultana

doi:10.31893/humanitj.2024015

Keywords:

Abstract

This paper aims to investigate the history of slavery in ancient Indian society. The historical landscape of ancient India was shaped by a sophisticated system of slavery, divergent from the chattel slavery paradigm of the Western world. This nuanced institution, intricately woven into the socio-economic fabric, found its roots in debt bondage, social stratification, and the aftermath of conflicts. Unlike Western models, the absence of racial dimensions in ancient Indian slavery is significant. To analyze these historical aspects, the study employs qualitative methodologies, including the examination of ancient texts, secondary sources, and socio-economic analyses. A comprehensive exploration of this facet of ancient Indian society reveals a profound understanding of the structural dynamics that defined the civilization, highlighting the diverse pathways through which individuals entered servitude. This investigation provides insights into the socio-economic realities of the past and offers valuable perspectives on contemporary social hierarchies and inequality.
References
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2. Buch, M. A. (1979). Economic Life of Ancient India: A Systematic Survey (pp. 253-259). R.S. Publishing House.
3. Chanana, D. R. (1960). Slavery in Ancient India (p. 7, 105). People’s Publishing House.
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5. Davis, D. R. (2020). Slaves and slavery in the Smṛticandrikā. The Indian Economic & Social History Review, 57(3), 299-326. https://doi.org/10.1177/0019464620930893
6. Davis, D. R. (2020). Slaves and slavery in the Smṛticandrikā. The Indian Economic & Social History Review, 57(3), 299-326.
7. https://doi.org/10.1177/0019464620930893
8. Mann, M. (2015). Slaving, slavery and abolition: A view from the Indian Ocean. Südasien-Chronik - South Asia Chronicle, 5, 451-479
9. Goyal, P., Goyal, M., & Goyal, S. (2012). Work and wages of labour: A study of ancient India. Prastuti, 1(1), 1-7.
10. International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences, Vol-14, (New York, The Macmillan Company and the Free Press,1972), p. 307.
11. Kane, P. V. (1941). History of the Dharma Sastras (Ancient and medieval religious and civil law) (p. 180). Bhandar Oriental Research Institute.
12. Kosambi, D. D. (1970). The Culture and Civilisation of Ancient India in Historical Outline, (p. 23). Routledge and Kegan Paul.
13. Kumar, P. (2020). Slavery in Ancient India. International Journal of Creative Research Thoughts, 8(11), 3769.
14. Mann, M. (2015). Slaving, slavery and abolition: A view from the Indian Ocean. Südasien-Chronik - South Asia Chronicle, 5, 451-479.
15. Nigom, S. (1975). Economic Organisation in Ancient India (200BC-200AD) (pp. 217-218). Munshiram Manderlal Publishers Pvt. Ltd.
16. Rangarajan, L. N. (1992). Kautilya: The Arthashastra. Penguin Books.
17. Singh, A. N. (2020). "Enslaved for life": Construing slavery in nineteenth century India. HumaNetten, 44, 119-142.
18. Singh, U. (2008). A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India: From the Stone Age to the 12th Century (p. 191). Pearson Education.
19. Stanziani, A. (2020). Slavery and post slavery in the Indian Ocean world. HAL Open Science. Retrieved from https://hal.science/hal-02556369
20. Thapar, R. (2004). Early India: From the origins to AD 1300. University of California Press.
21. The New Encyclopedia Britannica, Vol-16, (Chicago, Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc, 1976), p. 853.
22. Wheeler, M. (1968). The Indus civilization (3rd ed., p. 93). Cambridge University Press.

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How to cite

Hossain, M. A., & Sultana, S. (2024). Unraveling the history of slavery in ancient Indian society. Humanities Journal, 1(4), 2024015. https://doi.org/10.31893/humanitj.2024015

[1] Basham, A. L. (1969). The wonder that was India (pp. 153-154). Sidgwick and Jackson.

[2] Buch, M. A. (1979). Economic Life of Ancient India: A Systematic Survey (pp. 253-259). R.S. Publishing House.

[3] Chanana, D. R. (1960). Slavery in Ancient India (p. 7, 105). People’s Publishing House.

[4] Dalal, C. D., & Shrigondekar, G. K. (1925). Lekhapaddhati-Gaekwad’s Oriental Series. (pp. 44-54). Central Library, Baroda.

[5] Davis, D. R. (2020). Slaves and slavery in the Smṛticandrikā. The Indian Economic & Social History Review, 57(3), 299-326. https://doi.org/10.1177/0019464620930893

[6] Davis, D. R. (2020). Slaves and slavery in the Smṛticandrikā. The Indian Economic & Social History Review, 57(3), 299-326.

[7] https://doi.org/10.1177/0019464620930893

[8] Mann, M. (2015). Slaving, slavery and abolition: A view from the Indian Ocean. Südasien-Chronik - South Asia Chronicle, 5, 451-479

[9] Goyal, P., Goyal, M., & Goyal, S. (2012). Work and wages of labour: A study of ancient India. Prastuti, 1(1), 1-7.

[10] International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences, Vol-14, (New York, The Macmillan Company and the Free Press,1972), p. 307.

[11] Kane, P. V. (1941). History of the Dharma Sastras (Ancient and medieval religious and civil law) (p. 180). Bhandar Oriental Research Institute.

[12] Kosambi, D. D. (1970). The Culture and Civilisation of Ancient India in Historical Outline, (p. 23). Routledge and Kegan Paul.

[13] Kumar, P. (2020). Slavery in Ancient India. International Journal of Creative Research Thoughts, 8(11), 3769.

[14] Mann, M. (2015). Slaving, slavery and abolition: A view from the Indian Ocean. Südasien-Chronik - South Asia Chronicle, 5, 451-479.

[15] Nigom, S. (1975). Economic Organisation in Ancient India (200BC-200AD) (pp. 217-218). Munshiram Manderlal Publishers Pvt. Ltd.

[16] Rangarajan, L. N. (1992). Kautilya: The Arthashastra. Penguin Books.

[17] Singh, A. N. (2020). "Enslaved for life": Construing slavery in nineteenth century India. HumaNetten, 44, 119-142.

[18] Singh, U. (2008). A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India: From the Stone Age to the 12th Century (p. 191). Pearson Education.

[19] Stanziani, A. (2020). Slavery and post slavery in the Indian Ocean world. HAL Open Science. Retrieved from https://hal.science/hal-02556369

[20] Thapar, R. (2004). Early India: From the origins to AD 1300. University of California Press.

[21] The New Encyclopedia Britannica, Vol-16, (Chicago, Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc, 1976), p. 853.

[22] Wheeler, M. (1968). The Indus civilization (3rd ed., p. 93). Cambridge University Press.

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