Chapter 3 Beyond Birth Resources and Status| Class 12 History Notes

Class 12 History Notes Chapter 3: CBSE Class 12 History Notes are essential for students studying Social Science, as History is a crucial sub-subject that requires properly written answers. Scoring well in History is just as important as other subjects. These notes are important for Class 12 students because they help explain how people’s social status was determined in ancient societies.

The notes cover topics like wealth, generosity, and social roles, providing valuable insights into historical societies. Overall, Class 12 History Notes for Chapter 3 are important resources for students looking to understand the social dynamics of the past straightforwardly.

Chapter 3 Beyond Birth Resources and Status| Class 12 History Notes

Beyond Birth Resources and Status

If you recall the economic relations discussed in Chapter 2, you will realize that various social actors emerged across the subcontinent. These included slaves, landless agricultural laborers, hunters, fisherfolk, pastoralists, peasants, village headmen, craftspersons, merchants, and kings. Their social positions were closely tied to their access to economic resources. In this section, we will delve into the social implications of resource access in specific contexts.

Gendered access to property

Consider first a critical episode in the Mahabharata. During the long-drawn rivalry between the Kauravas and the Pandavas, Duryodhana invited Yudhisthira to a game of dice. Deceived by his rival, Yudhisthira staked everything he owned, including his gold, elephants, chariots, slaves, army, treasury, kingdom, the property of his subjects, his brothers, and finally himself, losing all. He even staked their common wife Draupadi and lost her too.

Issues of ownership, highlighted in stories like this one, also appear in the Dharmasutras and Dharmashastras. According to the Manusmriti, the paternal estate was to be equally divided among sons after the parents’ death, with a special share for the eldest. Women, however, couldn’t claim a share of these resources.

Nevertheless, women were permitted to retain the gifts they received during marriage as stridhana, or a woman’s wealth. This could be inherited by their children without the husband having any claim on it. Yet, the Manusmriti cautioned women against hoarding family property or even their own valuables without the husband’s permission.

Despite instances of wealthy women like the Vakataka queen Prabhavati Gupta, evidence suggests that while upper-class women might have had access to resources, land, cattle, and money were generally controlled by men. In essence, social differences between men and women were accentuated due to variations in resource access.

Varna and access to property

According to the Brahmanical texts, another criterion, apart from gender, for regulating access to wealth was varna. As we discussed earlier, the only “occupation” prescribed for Shudras was servitude, while men of the first three varnas were assigned a variety of occupations. If these provisions were indeed implemented, the wealthiest men would have been the Brahmanas and the Kshatriyas. This aligns somewhat with social realities, as evident from descriptions of priests and kings in other textual traditions. Kings are almost invariably depicted as wealthy, while priests are also generally portrayed as affluent, although occasional depictions of poor Brahmanas exist.

At another level, even as the Brahmanical view of society was codified in the Dharmasutras and Dharmashastras, other traditions developed critiques of the varna order. Some of the best-known critiques emerged within early Buddhism (from the sixth century BCE onwards). The Buddhists acknowledged societal differences but did not view them as natural or inflexible. They also rejected claims to status based on birth.

An alternative social scenario: Sharing wealth

We’ve been looking at situations where people got their status based on how much money they had. But there were other cases too. Sometimes, people who shared what they had were respected, while those who kept everything for themselves were looked down upon. This was true in ancient Tamilakam, a place with many chiefdoms about 2,000 years ago. The chiefs there supported poets and singers who praised them. The poems in the Tamil Sangam collections show us that even though there were rich and poor people, those who had a lot were expected to share it with others.

Beyond Birth Resources and Status- FAQs

What are gotras Class 12?

In Hindu culture, the term gotra (Sanskrit: गोत्र) is considered to be equivalent to lineage. It broadly refers to people who are descendants in an unbroken male line from a common male ancestor or patriline.

What is the significance of Mahabharata for Class 12 students?

The Mahabharata holds immense significance as it provides valuable insights into the attitudes and practices that shaped social histories. Composed over a period of 1000 years, it stands as one of the richest texts of the sub-continent. At its core, the Mahabharata narrates the epic tale of two sets of warring cousins, offering a compelling narrative that delves into themes of conflict, morality, and duty.

How did gender play a role in determining social status in ancient societies?

Gender intersected with access to resources and social status in complex ways. While men held higher positions of power and enjoyed greater access to resources, women’s status varied depending on factors such as wealth, lineage, and societal norms.

What are some examples of resources that influenced social status in ancient societies?

Examples of resources include land, wealth, access to education, political power, and networks of patronage. These resources often conferred privileges and opportunities, shaping individuals’ positions in society.