Scholars like Bernier chose to compare India with Europe primarily to influence policy-makers and the intelligentsia to ensure they made what he considered the "right" decisions. He was actively participating in contemporary debates in Europe concerning the nature of state and society.

Bernier intended his description of Mughal India to serve as a warning to those who did not recognise the "merits" of private property. His representation worked on the model of binary opposition, presenting India as the inverse of Europe.

By ordering perceived differences hierarchically, Bernier made India appear inferior to the Western world, thereby emphasising the superiority of Europe. This approach made his writings extremely popular when published.