Merits and Demerits of Market System by Sultan Alauddin Khilji

Merits of the System:

1. As a result of the market system, Sultan Alauddin Khalji could maintain a strong and vast army. Although the soldiers were being paid a meagre salary, yet they were contented due to cheapness of commodities of daily use. With the help of his competent army, the Sultan could attain success against the Mongols and achieved territorial expansion.

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2. Dr. Ishwari Prasad writes that owing to these reforms, “All sedition was stamped out and men’s habits were so disciplined that crime was considerably lessened.”

3. As severe punishments were given for a minor offence, the scope for black-marketing and fraud was minimized and people dared not act contrary to the rules of the Sultan. Thus the people were disciplined.

4. People felt quite relieved and pleased due to availability of cheap things in the market. Hamid Qalander, a contemporary writer, has praised Alauddin for his achievements. He writes, “People used to pay homage to his tomb, put sacred thread on his grave, beg for boons and their wishes were fulfilled.”

Demerits of the System:

1. The market system was not liked by the Hindus. Elliot remarks, “The Hindus were reduced to a State of abject misery, to such an extent that the wives of Khuts and Muqaddams went and were sent on hire in the houses of Mussal- mans.”

2. These reforms were not motivated by a sense of public welfare. Alauddin wanted to satisfy his soldiers even after paying them low salary but as salaries were reduced, the soldiers too were not benefitted by these reforms.

3. It harmed the trade in the Sultanate as the margin of profit was brought down to a very low level. Lack of incentive curbed the trade to a great extent.

4. The enhancement in the rate of revenue and imposition of other taxes compelled the farmers to withdraw their attention from agriculture.

5. Dr. A. L. Srivastava criticized this system as it was based on brute force. In his words, “The greatest defect in Alauddin’s work was that his administrative system lacked performance as it was based on naked force and not on the goodwill of the people.”

Thus the market system of Alauddin proved transitory as it was based on force. Dr. K. S. Lai aptly remarks, ‘Alauddin’s market regulations died with him.” It did not improve the general condi­tion of the people. Prof. S. R. Sharma has condemned this system in the following words. “It must have come to an end much before his own end came. It failed because it could not perpetuate itself. It failed, as it was bound to fail, because it was not founded on anything except fear. It failed because it failed to gain any real supporters.”

To sum up, we can say that the reforms of Alauddin did not prove beneficial for the entire populace of the Delhi Sultanate. Only the people of Delhi and nearby areas and some army men could be benefitted by it. Actually the aim of Alauddin in introducing this market control system was to maintain a vast army in order to repulse the attacks of Mongols and to expand his territory. He got success in it. He had to pay minimum to the soldiers; however, they were contented ”Due to price control system and the Sultanate extracted the maximum advantage out of it. But owing to the stern policy of Alauddin, the market control system ended with his life as his succes­sors were neither capable of handling it nor did they need it.