Question

For men, the Manusmriti declares, there are seven means of acquiring wealth: inheritance, finding, purchase, conquest, investment, work, and acceptance of gifts from good people. For women, there are six means of acquiring wealth: what was given in front of the fire (marriage) or the bridal procession, or as a token of affection, and what she got from her brother, mother or father. She could also acquire wealth through any subsequent gift and whatever her “affectionate” husband might give her.

Compare and contrast the ways in which men and women could acquire wealth.

Answer 1

According to the Manusmriti, men acquired wealth through active economic and military actions, while women acquired it through passive domestic gifts.

I. Comparison between men and women in the ways to acquire wealth:

Category	For Men	For Women
Marital & Ritual	None mentioned in this passage.	Gifts given in front of the nuptial fire. Gifts received during the bridal procession.
Familial Gifts	Acceptance of gifts from good people.	Tokens of affection from relatives. Gifts from brothers, mothers, or fathers. Subsequent gifts from family. Gifts given by an affectionate husband.
Economic & Labor	Inheriting ancestral property. Purchasing land or goods. Investing capital. Working or performing labour.	None allowed under these rules.
External/Other	Finding unclaimed property. Conquering territory in warfare.	None allowed under these rules.

II. Contrast between men and women in the ways to acquire wealth:

Feature	Men’s Wealth	Women’s Wealth
Nature of Acquisition	Active, public, and commercial.	Passive, domestic, and emotional.
Sphere of Influence	State-level (conquest, purchase).	Household-level (marriage, family).
Financial Autonomy	Independent earning capacity.	Dependent on male generosity.