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Which statement of Megasthenes is non-controversial?
  • a)
    There were seven castes in India.
  • b)
    There were no slaves in India.
  • c)
    Indians were monogamous.
  • d)
    There were no famines in India.
  • e)
    Indians neither lent out money at interest nor knew how to borrow it.
Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer?
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Which statement of Megasthenes is non-controversial?a)There were seven...
The correct option is C.
Humans are a diverse lot, but before Western imperialism, 83 percent of indigenous societies were polygynous, 16 percent monogamous, and 1 percent polyandrous (where women have multiple husbands).
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Which statement of Megasthenes is non-controversial?a)There were seven...
Statement of Megasthenes

Megasthenes was a Greek historian who wrote extensively about India during his time in the court of Chandragupta Maurya. Some of his statements about India are controversial, while others are non-controversial. The non-controversial statement among the options given is that "Indians were monogamous."

Indians were Monogamous

The statement that "Indians were monogamous" means that they believed in having only one spouse at a time. This was a common practice in ancient India and is still prevalent in many parts of the country today. The concept of monogamy was deeply ingrained in Indian society, and it was believed to be a sign of moral purity and social status.

Other Statements of Megasthenes

The other options given are controversial, and their validity is a subject of debate among historians. For example, the statement "There were no slaves in India" is not entirely accurate, as there is evidence to suggest that slavery did exist in ancient India, although it was not as widespread as in some other parts of the world. Similarly, the statement "There were no famines in India" is also controversial, as there have been instances of severe famines throughout Indian history.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Megasthenes' statement that "Indians were monogamous" is non-controversial, and it provides insight into the social and cultural values of ancient India. However, his other statements about India require further examination and cannot be taken at face value.
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Similar UPSC Doubts

With reference to the economic policies of the British in India and its impact, consider the following statements: India's export surplus became vital for Britains' balance of payments by the end of the nineteenth century. The organised money market was completely under the British control. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?Expalantion: The British continued to exploit India's economy. The burden of East India Company's London establishment and dividends to its shareholders was replaced after 1858, by the expenditure on the Secretary of State's India Office. The Indian debt in England which was already considerable as a result of the Company's military ventures and suppression of the mutiny was further increased, when compensation to the Company's shareholders was added to Government of India's account. Both Home charges and private remittances were channelised through Indian exports as pointed out by the nationalist economists from Dadabhai Naoroji onwards. The character of economic drain which was originally mercantilist, underwent a change and it now took the form of exploitation through free trade. In the later stage, it got linked with the structure of British Indian finance capitalism. Statement 1 is correct: In fact, India's export surplus became vital for Britains' balance of payments by the end of the nineteenth century. The British rule inhibited and curbed indigenous industry through a variety of structural constraints. The government policies actively promoted the European enterprise and discriminated against Indians. Statement 2 is not correct: The outstanding feature of the Indian money market was its dichotomy; it consisted of two fairly distinct sectors, the organized and the unorganized. These two were not entirely unconnected, but the links were rather loose. The constituents of the organized sector of the Indian money market were the Imperial Bank of India, the exchange banks, and the Indian joint-stock banks. The unorganized sector comprised the indigenous bankers, moneylenders, chit funds, nidhis, etc., etc. The co-operative credit institutions occupied a somewhat intermediate position.

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Which statement of Megasthenes is non-controversial?a)There were seven castes in India.b)There were no slaves in India.c)Indians were monogamous.d)There were no famines in India.e)Indians neither lent out money at interest nor knew how to borrow it.Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer?
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Which statement of Megasthenes is non-controversial?a)There were seven castes in India.b)There were no slaves in India.c)Indians were monogamous.d)There were no famines in India.e)Indians neither lent out money at interest nor knew how to borrow it.Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer? for UPSC 2025 is part of UPSC preparation. The Question and answers have been prepared according to the UPSC exam syllabus. Information about Which statement of Megasthenes is non-controversial?a)There were seven castes in India.b)There were no slaves in India.c)Indians were monogamous.d)There were no famines in India.e)Indians neither lent out money at interest nor knew how to borrow it.Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer? covers all topics & solutions for UPSC 2025 Exam. Find important definitions, questions, meanings, examples, exercises and tests below for Which statement of Megasthenes is non-controversial?a)There were seven castes in India.b)There were no slaves in India.c)Indians were monogamous.d)There were no famines in India.e)Indians neither lent out money at interest nor knew how to borrow it.Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer?.
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