How did the state centralize and maintain power?
The centralization and maintenance of power was essential part of the Mughal’s empires rule. Babur’s beginning conquest established power in the indo-Afghanistan area. He centered power around major cities under his reign. And in his short time of ruling he never really directly maintained power in his empire. We can see this in Babur’s son, Humāyūn time ruling. He didn't really have any way of maintaining power so he got defeated by Sher Shah (1486–1545), the powerful Afghan ruler of Bengal (present-day Bangladesh and northeastern India).
When Akbar took the throne, he completely overhauled the government and power system. Again he implemented policies to benefit the Rajputs and other minority groups, like stopping taxing of all non-Muslims, and accepting Hindus as equals and ale to hold public office. This in a way added to the centralization of power in the empire. You see by cementing relations with everyone in your empire there is little to no chance of rebellion or civil war. Akbar had also put in place a new system of balancing and maintaining power. This was called the Mansabdari system. Basically this system was supposed to balance power mainly between majorities taxing other, and minorities rebelling or challenging the empire. It’s almost like the checks and balances system but Mansabdari system also control of the army and the economy. This system would maintain the power within the government, the general population and outside the empire using their disposal of the army.
In contrast the last great Mughal emperor Ālamgīr abolished all of the policies favoring minorities and small religious groups. Then he decided to expand into more of these groups’ land. Ālamgīr also abolished the Mansabdari system, since t would undermine his bias view of power. He tried to simply suppress the groups he didn’t favor, but this disunity led to animosity with majority of the population. When he planned to rule with an iron fist the groups rebelled and destroyed his rule and all of the Mughal Empire.
When Akbar took the throne, he completely overhauled the government and power system. Again he implemented policies to benefit the Rajputs and other minority groups, like stopping taxing of all non-Muslims, and accepting Hindus as equals and ale to hold public office. This in a way added to the centralization of power in the empire. You see by cementing relations with everyone in your empire there is little to no chance of rebellion or civil war. Akbar had also put in place a new system of balancing and maintaining power. This was called the Mansabdari system. Basically this system was supposed to balance power mainly between majorities taxing other, and minorities rebelling or challenging the empire. It’s almost like the checks and balances system but Mansabdari system also control of the army and the economy. This system would maintain the power within the government, the general population and outside the empire using their disposal of the army.
In contrast the last great Mughal emperor Ālamgīr abolished all of the policies favoring minorities and small religious groups. Then he decided to expand into more of these groups’ land. Ālamgīr also abolished the Mansabdari system, since t would undermine his bias view of power. He tried to simply suppress the groups he didn’t favor, but this disunity led to animosity with majority of the population. When he planned to rule with an iron fist the groups rebelled and destroyed his rule and all of the Mughal Empire.
by: Philip Harder