Census
Like the 2020 census in the US
The similarity between the feudal manors of Europe and traditional villages of India is that the ability of a peasant to change the social status. Because of this, there is no social mobility to the both of them.
The south was technically fighting a defensive war, they had more time to prepare so really any of these answers could be right, but id have to go with they had either more money or more effective military commanders
