Economic History Of Tamil Nadu 200 B.C. - 2000 A.D.

History is the branch of knowledge that deals systematically with the recording analyzing and correlating of past events. The intrinsic quality of history is given by John.F.Kennedy the U.S. president 1961-63 in the following words: “History is a relentless master: it has no present only the past rushing into the future”.1 ‘Rushing’ lets loose the equilibrating forces and in that way the past impact the present. As such knowledge of the past is essential to gain knowledge of the present and also to plan for the future. It is in this context that Economic History as a distinct branch of knowledge has developed in the nineteenth century.The most characteristic feature of the English Classical school was the use of abstract reasoning - deductive method. For instance Adam Smith was chiefly guided by the universal principle- that of self-interest. “It is not from the benevolence of the butcher brewer or the baker that we expect our dinner but from their regard to their own interest”.2 The value of such deductive reasoning depends upon the exactness and validity of the assumption; if the assumptions go wrong the theories become defective. Further in real world changes take place constantly and abstract conclusions cannot be verified. Cliff Leslie an Irish economist declared that “the laws of wealth must be inferred from facts not from the postulate of human selfishness”. Hildebrand says “Man as a social being is the child of civilization and product of history. His wants his intellectual outlook his relation to material objects and his connection with other human beings have not always been the same. Geography influences them history modifies them while progress of education may entirely transform them”.CONTENTS: Abbreviations Introduction Chapter 1 - The Sangam Age – (200 B.C. - 300 A.D.) Chapter 2 - The Pallava Age – (400 - 900 A.D.) Chapter 3 - The Chola Age – (850 - 1200 A.D.) Chapter 4 - Vijayanagar / Nayaks – (1300 - 1600 A.D.) Chapter 5 - The British Rule - Early Years – (1800 - 1900) Chapter 6 - The British Quit India – (1900 - 1947 A.D.) Chapter 7 - After Independence – (1947 -2000) Epilogue Selected Books for Further Study Glossary Index.