“The Mugal were champions of economy and they built a India theory demystified” - A thread
Numerically challenged, statistically unhinged and data noob liberals quote data to prove that Mughals were some sort of economic geniuses who led India to its most prosperous years.
According to data compiled by economic historian Angus Maddison:
“…as recently as 1700, Qing China and Mughal India each represented a little less than 25 per cent of world GDP”,
Liberal elites in media and academia latched on to it. This soon became the dominant narrative.
25% is a huge deal but this is what we can call a classic example of half truth.
So did Maddison lie? No she didn’t.
But she did hide (or overlooked) the data prior to the period she mentions. Hers was not the most detailed study.
The reality is that under Mughals, India registered a steep decline in its GDP share of the world. India’s highest GDP share was during the Gupta ages when India strictly followed the Hindu way of life.
This chart that I have taken from Jeff Desjardins’ essay “2,000 Years of Economic History in One Chart” puts data into the correct perspective.