Page:Indian Journal of Economics Volume 2.djvu/297

 REL.4 T TO INDIA oulivaors. The problem presented by exoesslve subdivision tends o some exen o solve itself; bu he very devioe, v/., sub-leling, by whioh o a oerain extn he effeos of subdivision are neutralfeed, inoreases he fragmentation of 'he laud in he hands of he aoual eulivaors. Them is, bowever, his hopeful feature in he sinaion, ha while lile oan be done o pu a sop o subdivision wihou some radioal ohage in he Hindu laws of inberisnoe, fragmentation is an evll whioh oan be remedied, and has in oher oounries been remedied, by less drasio legislation. Coming now t.o he eoonomio condition of he ville, whioh is he subjeo of Chapter VI, he following is a snmmary of he resuls whioh Dr..Iann arrives at. The estimated average inoome per head is Rs. 44, while Rs. 48 o Rs. 44 per head is aken as he sandard of neoessary expenditure. The lat, er fignre is exolusive, however, of he iueres payable on debts, whioh mounls io he extraordinarily high figure of Rs. 5 per head, he estimated oapial indebtedness per head atnoaniug o Rs. 96. No information, unfortunately, is given of he oauses of his indebt, edness; nor is anyMng said as o how far he figures my be regarded s reliable. Inoluding his i.em of oxpendiure, i appears ha he village, as a whole, is inopable of paying is way and a he same ime mainslning  deoen sandard of liv/ng. Eigh families, however, oeoupy a position i, which here is n average exoess of Rs. 27 per head over neoessary expendinre (inoluding ineres on debra); and in he ose of 28 oher families here is an average exoess of Rs. It per head. The remaining 67 families (or 61 per oe of he t.oal number) show, on the other hand, an verage deficiency per head of Rs. 13. "This economic enqniry into the condition of the people of a typical dry Deceau village," Dr. Mann conclndes, "is dis- heartening. The debts are a crushing load on the people, bu even were they removed more than half the .families would till not be able to pay their way." It has already been pointed out tlst, economically, the village in qnestlon can by no means be regarded' as typical. Waiving this point, however, there remains the question as to .how far he pletnre given of its eeouomlc condition is a convincing one. Let us look, first, at the income side of the village balance-sheet, Accepting the metlod (an un. satisfactory one in the circumstances o! : Inl,an agrieultural