Question

Which of the following fundamental features of Jajmani system is based on exchange?

• A. Documents
• B. Land
• C. Goods and services
• D. Money

Hint:

Think of the Jajmani system as a form of traditional barter economy embedded in the caste structure. It's about service castes (Kamins) serving landowning castes (Jajmans) in exchange for grain and other necessities, not cash.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
The Jajmani system was a traditional economic system in rural India. It was based on a network of reciprocal relationships between different caste groups. The question asks about the primary medium of exchange within this system.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
The core of the Jajmani system was the exchange of services for goods.
- Lower caste groups, known as 'Kamin' or 'Praja', provided specialized services (like pottery, carpentry, barbering, washing clothes) to the landowning upper castes, known as 'Jajmans'.
- In return, the Jajmans did not typically pay in cash (money). Instead, they compensated the Kamins with a fixed share of the agricultural produce (goods) and other customary payments.
- Therefore, the system was a non-monetary (or minimally monetary) economy based on the direct exchange of goods and services.
Step 3: Final Answer:
The fundamental exchange in the Jajmani system was based on goods and services.