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The stability of the Mauryan Empire and the vast administrative system depended upon the prosperity of agriculture, trade and commerce. As in the past, agriculture was the main occupation of the people of India. Magesthanese places agriculture at second place in the list of profession in the society. A large number of small landlords had come into existence. But this class had not become very important in the agricultural system. The state also took various measures for the promotion of agriculture. Large tracts of land were reclaimed for agriculture by the employment of slaves and labourers. Ashoka himself tells that about 150000 persons were made prisoners as a result of the Kalinga war. It is quite possible that they were employed for reclaiming lands.

The money lending class also helped in the growth of agriculture. They advanced loans to the agriculturists and other related persons who wanted to develop new colonies. As a result of the efforts of the agriculturist and related professions new villages developed. The prosperity of agriculturists added to the revenues of the state. The farmers paid into the government treasury one fourth share of the produce of the soil. The individual farmers were assessed for land revenue and not the village as a whole. The government aimed to have a direct contact with the individual farmers. The state provided the cultivators with the seeds, and food and started relief work in times of distress. The government has many facilities to the peasants which showed how much the state took care for the development of agriculture. It shows that the government maintained a direct contact with the agriculturists. It seems that the farmers who benefitted from the irrigation schemes paid to government a special tax. They had also to render to state certain prescribed services.

Kautilya advises the king to allot only those lands for grazing cattle which were not fit for agriculture. Besides agriculture, the state was also conscious of the welfare of the shepherds and cattle rearing class. Magesthanese places shepherds and herdsmen at the third place in the list of professional classes. The shepherds reared cows, buffalos, goats and sheep. These tribes mostly belonged to the Aryan race. But it has been established that they were considered as shudras in the Varna System. It is interesting to note that even rich people as well as the state reared cattle because it was a lucrative profession.

With the growth of trade and commerce, there was a large increase in the number of artisans and craftsmen. Magesthanese places this class at fourth place in the list of professionals. By this time the artisans had organised themselves into guilds. The craftsmen were now classified into many more classes. There were three prominent features of these classes namely, localization of vocations, hereditary professions and the working of the artisans under their chiefs. With the passage of time these classes of craftsmen grew into important institutions.  These craftsmen also employed slaves to increase productivity. One of the most flourishing crafts was that of the carpenter. They manufactured chariots for the army and carts and other types of vehicles for trade and traffic. Judging from the existence of several navigable rivers in the norther India, boats and ship building must have been a prosperous industry in India. Manufacturing of arms was another important craft. Greek writers refer to manufacture of arms and agricultural implements and the building of ships. The craftsmen were organised into guilds or Shrines. There are references about the guilds of weavers, braziers oil millers bamboo workers corn dealers, ivory workers. The organization of guilds gave to craftsmen political and economic power. The goods were sold under the supervision of the government officers and a tax of 10 percent was levied on the sales. A class of moneylenders had also emerged. Generally an interest of 15 percent was charged on the loans advanced. The hazardous industries had to pay up to 50 percent interest on the loans. Provisions were made for warehouses, godowns and transport. Special arrangements were for protection of the trade routes. There were many highways and trade routes. For internal trade carried on through rivers ferries were maintained. The government had set up a special department for the construction and maintenance of roads.