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of her permanent revenue from the land. The 

 more modern English idea on the subject, however, 

 would seem to be, that the natural tendency of 

 societies is to reduce all things to a state of private 

 property, and, that the measure of the social condi- 

 tion or state of civilization of peoples, is the mean 

 between these two extremes the community, and the 

 individual state of property. This theory has not 

 yet been put forth as a law. I am perhaps the first 

 that has so stated it. But the arguments advanced 

 by most writers of the day who advocate the 

 redemption of the land revenue, seem, for the most 

 part, to be based on some such conclusion. I would 

 not wish either to defend or to dispute the position. 

 On the contrary, admitting* it to be true, as it will 

 not be denied that the advance of all societies in civi- 

 lization is by steps, progressive and slow, it will 

 follow that many years, many centuries, I might 

 say, must elapse before a society in a primitive or 

 archaic state can reach that highest point in the 

 scale, at which, for the perfection of the theory, all 

 things should be the property of individuals. Now 

 it is an indisputable fact, that throughout India, 

 community of property is not only the rule ; but it 

 is that one institution so deeply rooted in the minds 

 of the people, so ingrained in their nature it would 

 ;il most seem, which neither force of laws nor force 

 of arms have been able to destroy. ic Dynasty after 

 dynasty/' to use the words of Lord Metcalfe, 



" tumbles down ; revolution succeeds to revolution ; 



Ko 

 & 



