Identifier: cyclopediauniver1950ridp (find matches)
Title: Cyclopedia universal history : embracing the most complete and recent presentation of the subject in two principal parts or divisions of more than six thousand pages
Year: 1895 (1890s)
Authors: Ridpath, John Clark, 1840-1900
Subjects: World history Ethnology World history
Publisher: Boston : Balch Bros.
Contributing Library: UMass Amherst Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Boston Library Consortium Member Libraries

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as-cendency of the priest would also bemore fatal to the natural evolution ofpolitical power and the establishment ofsecular forms of government in a coun-try where the chieftain sympathized bykinship with the priest, than in landswhere they two were in antagonism.This was one of the leading causes ofthe miserable condition into which thepolitical institutions of India fell at anearly age, and in which they have eversince continued. After the military chieftain in a bar-barous age, leader and defender of awandering tribe, has passed, by the set-tled residence of his people, primogeniture into a prince, having a court ^^^^^and a retinue and even tainship.the beginnings of an administrative sys-tem, he must provide for the continu-ance, of his rank, his reputation, hisgovernment. This is most easily andnaturally done by transmitting it tohis son. The priest would encouragethis tendency; for the counselor of thefather would have a favorable situationfor influence with the descendant. He-
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c~ -^~ INDIAN PKINCE—IYPF—The Maharajah OF &UALIOR—Dra n b\ \ deNei He THE INDICANS.—GOVERNMENT. 739 redity would thus become a natural ele-ment in the system, and primogeniturewould follow as a secondary suggestion.All of these facts have appeared in thepolitical structure of India, and in theorder named. The government of the Indian princeshas been an absolutism from the earliestages. Everything has conspired to makeAbsolutism of the native prince a des-of thelndi^^* P°t ^^^ ^° perpetuate theprinces. despotism in his family. The right of the Indian nabob to tax hissubjects for the support of the govern-ment and to supply the means of warrests with himself. Any part of theprivate property of the people, from onetwelfth to one fourth of the same hemay take as a revenue, without responsi-bility. In the same way he may enlisthis subjects into the army. Custom hasprescribed that those who serve in warshall be recompensed by a gift of land.In former times only the Kshatriyas

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