In this content, the author discusses the focus of their research on the shifting relations between private finance and political power in 17th and 18th century India. They explain their interest in this topic, mentioning the lack of historical data about influential merchant families outside of Europe and their desire to explore their role in society. The author describes the non-traditional materials they accessed to craft this history, including ethnographic notes, poetic texts, and ground-level observations by European travelers. They also discuss their language skills and the importance of language proficiency in conducting research on non-English speaking societies. The author emphasizes the importance of studying this topic in the current environment, highlighting the influence of business interests on political organizations and the need to understand the strategies used by capitalists to shape their environments. Overall, the author provides insights into their research process and the significance of their work in understanding historical and contemporary connections between private finance and political power.
The Financial Foundations of Mughal India: Family Wealth and Political Change
