Jain Journal 1974 01

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 39

JANUARY, 1974
to its rule, "a class that makes itself the indispensable intermediary between any two producers and exploits them both".
"On the pretext of saving the producers the trouble and risk of exchange, of finding distant market for their products, and of thus becoming the most useful class in society, a class of parasites arises, genuine social sycophants, who, as a reward for very insignificant real services, skim the cream of production at home, and abroad, rapidly amass enormous wealth and corresponding social influence, and for this very reason are destined to reap ever new honours and gain increasing control over production during the period of civilization, until they at least create a product of their own-periodic commercial crises"10.
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It will be seen later on that this mercantile class took away the reigns of leadership of Jaina Sangha from the hands of the ruling Ksatriya caste and used the same to the advantage of class interest in various ways, posing itself as the champion of Ahimsa dharma at present, leaving aside the great ideals of the Kulakaras and Sramaṇa dharma.
At this stage of civilization, when Rsabhadeva was king, the young mercantile class had no idea of the big things stored for it. But it took birth and shape and gradually made itself indispensable, that is why it is found in the Agamas that a Sārthavāha (financial adviser) must he associated with the royal court of Ancient India. Even the Muslim rulers in India could not carry on their royal administration without the financial advice and assistance of this class, as they often needed money for the royal administration and luxury. With the invention of metallic money and minted coins this non-producer could rule the producer and his products.
Whoever possessed this money ruled the world of production. The cult of money made it plain that all commodities and hence all commodity-producers, all forms of wealth must grovel in the dust before this incarnation of wealth-Money. Its power revealed itself with primitive crudity and violence in the period of its youth.
In the process of the development of civilization there came the lending of money, entailing interest and usury, after the sale of commodities. Like the Jews of the Middle Age this mercantile class played the role of money lender. Besides wealth in commodities and moneywealth there came into existence wealth in the form of land since the
• The Origin of the Family, Private Property and the State, p. 162. 10 Ibid.