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PRODUCTION
Jog
IV
ORGANISATION The function of an organiser is to plan the enterprise, bring together land. labour and capital in the most suitable proportion and to take the risk involved in the undertaking.
It is remarkable that, in spite of a comparative lower stage of trading enterprise and lack of fluid capital for investment in industrial purposes, there was commercial or trading organisation. Important craftsmen such as goldsmiths, painters and washermen were organised into guilds (seni) Jain texts like those of the Buddhists mention eighteen guilds. We are told that in honour of the cakka jewel, Bharata called upon eighteen guilds (senippaseni) and ordered them to exempt people from customs, taxes and confiscations, to stop the transaction of buying and selling, to prevent policemen from entering the houses of the public and to cancel fines and debts. The guilds of the goldsmiths, the painters, 8 and washermen are mentioned and about the rest we do not know much." Neither we are told about their character, their constitution or organisation. But it seems that a seni was organised in the form of a union and its functions were legislative, judicial and executive. A seni worked for the welfare of its members and it had a right to approach the king and demand justice. We are told of a painter who was ordered to be executed by prince Malladinna ; thc guild of the painters visited the king, explained the matter and requested him to quash the sentence passed against the member of its union. The king was pleased to commute the sentence into banishment'. Then we hear of a washermen's guild approaching the king in order to demand justice. In the words of Dr. Majumdar, a Sreni was a corporation of people belonging to the same or different caste but belonging to the same trade and industry. The srenis were the representative assemblies of the state and the king was obliged to respect their feelings and views. 10
1 Jambu. 3. 43, p 193 f, also cf. Ava. Cú. p. 260. ! Naya 8, p. 105. 8 zbid., P 107 + Mua cũ II, p 182.
5 The Tain texts mention five crafts (szppa) which are said to have been taught by Usabha. The five artisans were potters, painters, cloth-makers, black-smiths and barbers (ibid p 150 ) Only four guilds are mentioned in the Mfahaummagga jätaha (No 546), VI, P 427 the woodworkers, the smiths, the leather workers, and the painters However, in thc conimentary on the Jambuddırapannat: the following enghteen corporative unions are mentioned kumbhāra (potter), pattarlla (palel in Gujerat), sulannahára (goldsmith), suzakara (cook,), gandhalla (perfumer), kasavaga (barber), mālākära (garland-maker), kacchahara (vegetable-seller, kachi in Hindı). lambolia (dealer in betel-lea), cammayaru (leather-Worker), jantapilaza (presser of oil, sugar cane etc ), ganchiya (towel-seller) chimpāya (calico printer), kamsahāra (brazier), szaga (tailor), guāra
), bhılla and dhivara Thefirst nine belonged to the category of nārua and the last nine to that, of kārua (3 43, p 1931); also see the list given by Majumdar, Corporatire life in ancient India, p. 18 ff. Also Rāmāyana, II 83 12 ff.
8 Vinaya, IV, p 226; S K, Das, op. cit., p. 244 7 Naya 8, P 107. 8 Ava. cū II, p 182. e Corporative Life in Ancient India, p. 17. 10 Sec Dikshitar, op. cit., pp. 899-47.
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