The Maratha political system evolved into a loose confederacy of semi-autonomous chiefs rather than a rigid, centralized bureaucracy. Unlike the Mughal “Mansabdari” system, where officials were frequently transferred to prevent local power bases, Maratha sardars held hereditary control over their regions. This decentralization made it impossible to maintain a single, cohesive imperial administration over the entire subcontinent. ANSWER: (C) Confederacy-based political structure