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CHAPTER 11
DISTRIBUTION
The division of accumulated wealth between the various members of the community and of the annual income between its different members is the chieffactor of distribution. In fact, very often the factors of production were conrolled by the same person or persons and so all the shares of the produce went to him. Thus on the whole, the question of distribution did not arise in those days as we find in the later stage of the evolution of society. Four principal shares of distribution are to be ditinguished: rent, wages, interest and profits.
RENT
Unfortunately, we know very little as to how the principles of distribution were governed. We have seen about the rent the amount of which was chiefly based on custom. One-ninth of the share of the produce from land went to the king, and almost all the rest was available for distribution among the people.
About wages or the remuneration of labour we have seen four kinds of wage-earners, who worked either for daily wages or on contract system. The wages were paid to the workers in kind or in money, generally in the former. We are told about a cow-herd who was given one-fourth of the milk produced daily as his wages ;17 another was given the whole milk of a cow or a buffalo on the eighth day.18 Share-holders were given one-half, one-fourth or one-sixth of the profit.20
INTEREST
Interest is the remuneration or the price for the services of capital. Loans and usury were common. Anaya or debt is mentioned. It is stated that, if the debtor (dharaniya) was staying in his own country, he was bound to pay the debts, but if he went abroad and had no money, he was not responsible, for it is said that if a debtor went abroad on a sea-voyage and on the way his ship foundered and he saved his life with great difficulty with one piece of cloth on his person, he was not liable to pay the debts. If the debtor, however, had money, although not sufficient to pay the creditor in full, the latter could sue him and get his partial payment, which would be reckoned in full settlement of his debt. If the debts could not be paid in time, the debtor, however, had to work as a slave to the creditor.20 We have already referred to a widow who
17 Brh Bha 2 3581.
18 Pinda Ntr 369; cf Narada (VI 10)
19 Jid 3, p 280; Suya 11, 2, p 330a; Tha 3 128.
20 Brh. Bha. 1, 2690 f; 6. 6309.
