The standard image of Indian society emphasizes its agricultural economy and narrow prospects, but this image ignores the main economic and political role of trade and artisanal production. This book presents a study of one of the most important commercial craft communities, and weavers, who form the second largest sector of the Indian Southern economy.

And thus provides an important picture of our unbalanced image of Indian social organization from those accounts that focused almost exclusively on the agricultural community. Professor Mainz traces the role of traders - weavers in the organization, states of South India and society from the Middle Ages to the present, and shows that sometimes in their history they compete with the status and power of farmers.

It also shows that weavers, far from being conservative, have for centuries maintained superorganized organizations to manage their affairs and represent their interests. As the political economy changed, they modified their organizations and created new ones better to suit changing circumstances and interests..

I want that book.