Comprehension

Read the following source carefully and answer the questions that follow:
A warning for Europe 
Bernier warned that if European kings followed the Mughal model: Their kingdoms would be very far from being well-cultivated and peopled, so well built, so rich, so polite and flourishing as we see them. Our kings are otherwise rich and powerful; and we must avow that they are much better and more royally served. They would soon be kings of deserts and solitudes, of beggars and barbarians, such as those are whom I have been representing. (the Mughals) 
.... We should find the great Cities and the great Burroughs (boroughs) rendered un- inhabitable because of ill air, and to fall to ruine (ruin) without anybody's (anybody) taking care of repairing them; the hillocks abandon’s, and the fields overspread with bushes, or fill’d with pestilential marishes (marshes), as hath been already intimated.

Question: 1

Mention any one prominent contribution of Bernier.

Updated On: Jan 13, 2026
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Solution and Explanation

François Bernier, a French physician and traveler, notably documented Mughal India in his work ”Travels in the Mughal Empire”.

His accounts offer significant details regarding the Mughal court, its governance, societal hierarchy, and economic status during Aurangzeb's rule.

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Question: 2

How did Bernier describe the difference between European kingdom and the Mughal territories?

Updated On: Jan 13, 2026
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Solution and Explanation

Bernier sharply contrasted the prosperity of European kingdoms with the perceived decline of Mughal territories. He asserted that European cities were well-constructed, sanitary, and managed by civic bodies, while Mughal cities suffered from a lack of public welfare, urban planning, and upkeep.

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His points included:

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  • European monarchs were backed by structured institutions and ruled over thriving, affluent regions.
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  • Mughal potentates, conversely, governed over "deserts and solitudes," signifying a impoverished and neglected society.
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  • He condemned the Mughal system for its absence of private property and deficient infrastructure, which resulted in economic stagnation and societal regression.
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Question: 3

Explain Bernier’s views on the socio-economic status of people under Mughal rule.

Updated On: Jan 13, 2026
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Solution and Explanation

Bernier sharply criticized the socio-economic state under Mughal dominion, attributing widespread poverty and inefficiency to the lack of private property and a feudalistic structure.

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His principal findings were:

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  • Peasants faced heavy taxation and lacked motivation to boost productivity, as they held no ownership rights.
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  • Urban centers and agricultural lands suffered neglect and deterioration, resulting in overgrown fields and deserted villages.
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  • Bernier noted the Mughal elite's extravagance contrasted with the deprivation and destitution experienced by ordinary citizens.
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Consequently, Bernier characterized the Mughal socio-economic system as exploitative, hindering sustained development and public well-being.

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