The Maratha revenue model was a hybrid of “Swarajya” (own territory) administration and external extraction. In their core territories, they maintained a peasant-friendly system, but in North India, the focus was purely on “Chauth”—a 25% levy for protection. This system allowed the Marathas to expand their military reach without the burden of managing a complex civil service. However, it made their economy dependent on continuous conquest and plunder. This emphasis on military extraction meant the state functioned more like a massive military machine than a consolidated administrative empire.