Child Labour in Ancient India: A Historical and Contextual Analysis
- Ajay Pratap Singh
- Mar 24, 2024
- 1 min read
Updated: Mar 4
Neetu Khairwar
Research Scholar, Faculty of Law, University of Allahabad
Abstract
This paper investigates the historical and contextual factors that influenced the emergence and persistence of child labour in ancient India, a civilisation with a long and rich history that influenced many other cultures. The paper examines the social, economic, religious and political aspects of children's roles and responsibilities in ancient India and how they varied across different sectors and occupations, such as agriculture, crafts, trade, domestic work, military service, religious service, and entertainment. The paper also compares and contrasts the situation of child labour in ancient India with that of other ancient civilizations, such as Egypt, Greece and Rome, and highlights the similarities and differences in their approaches and attitudes towards children and work. The paper draws on various sources of evidence, such as folklore, legends, traditional writings, archaeological findings and artistic representations, to illustrate and substantiate the arguments and claims. The paper concludes by discussing the implications and relevance of the historical analysis for the contemporary debate and policy on child labour.
Keywords
child labour, ancient India, historical analysis, social factors, economic factors, religious factors, and political factors