A Sidelight on Social, Economic and Political Aspects of Kulakara Order

Summary

J. C. Sikdar’s article offers a socio-economic interpretation of the Kulakara system described in Jaina Agamas. The Kulakara order represents an early communal phase of human society in which extended families lived together under a patriarch called a Kulakara. There was no distinction between rulers and subjects; rights and duties were shared equally, and the population was sparse except within the household community. Division of labour was based solely on sex: men performed activities such as hunting and agriculture while women managed domestic affairs. Goods produced by the community were held in common and there was no concept of private property. This arrangement resembles the primitive communism described by Marx and Engels. As the Kulakara system evolved, humans began domesticating animals like cows and buffaloes for milk and draught power. Historical evidence from Aryan, Semitic and Turanian tribes supports this depiction. Domestication led to the formation of pastoral tribes who specialised in raising cattle, marking the first significant social division of labour. Although arable land remained collectively owned by the clan and allocated to households for use, rudimentary rights of possession emerged. Technological advances such as weaving and metal smelting increased production in agriculture and handicrafts. Surplus production heightened labour demands and allowed accumulation of goods. According to Engels, this surplus transformed family relations: men, who herded the livestock and controlled new wealth, gained authority while women’s roles became confined to consumption without ownership. Sikdar draws parallels between the stages of Kulakara society and Marxist theories of historical materialism. He argues that the introduction of domesticated animals, tools and crafts gradually eroded the communal household. Surplus production and emerging property rights fostered exploitation and class distinctions. Households began to break away from the communal family, developing into independent economic units. Thus, the communistic Kulakara order eventually gave way to a socio-economic system based on private property and social stratification. By examining early Jaina narratives through the lens of modern socio-economic theory, the article demonstrates how religious texts preserve insights into the evolution of human society.