188 POLICY FOE WESTEEN INDIA 



nature which impede economic progress. In such 

 matters the Indian farmer is anything but a free 

 agent. It is open to anyone to say that he prefers 

 his religious sentiments to economic progress. This 

 is quite an intelligible proposition. But it must be 

 remembered that many customs which have a re- 

 ligious aspect came into existence in primitive times 

 when they had an economic value. As conditions 

 change the economic advantage of any custom may 

 become an economic disadvantage. When this occurs 

 the custom needs modification. Such changes have 

 been common in other countries. The early Christian 

 church used to teach that it was a sin to take interest 

 on money lent, and at one time no Christian could 

 lend money at interest. It might be an interesting 

 speculation as to how far the industry and commerce 

 of Christian countries could have grown up, had this 

 custom retained its original force. Such changes 

 cannot be thrust on a people by law ; they can only 

 be effected by a change in public opinion ; and this is 

 likely to take place only when the true economic 

 significance of the facts is recognised. 



It now only remains to indicate some definite lines 

 of policy calculated to accelerate agricultural progress. 

 With this object it is proposed to recapitulate briefly 

 twelve points which have already been dealt with in 

 detail. 



I. The system of land tenure best suited to western 

 India is that of peasant proprietors ; and the only 

 exceptions to this rule which are at present obvious 



