Let’s Recall
1. Match the following:
Term Match
ryot peasant
mahal village
nij cultivation on planterโs own land
ryoti cultivation on ryotโs lands
2. Fill in the blanks:
(a) Growers of woad in Europe saw indigo as a crop which would provide competition to their earnings.
(b) The demand for indigo increased in late eighteenth-century Britain because of expansion of cotton production.
(c) The international demand for indigo was affected by the discovery of synthetic dyes.
(d) The Champaran movement was against indigo planters.
Let’s Discuss
3. Describe the main features of the Permanent Settlement.
Answer– The main features of the Permanent Settlement were as follows:
I) Introduced by: Lord Cornwallis in 1793 in Bengal.
ii) Landowners: Zamindars were recognized as owners of the land.
iii) Revenue Collection: Zamindars had to pay a fixed revenue to the British.
iv) Permanency: The revenue amount was fixed permanently.
V) Impact: Led to absentee landlordism and exploitation of peasants.
4.Differences between Mahalwari and Permanent Settlement.
Answer— The difference between Mahalwari and permanent Settlement were as follows:
1. Revenue Collection & Ownership:
Mahalwari System: Revenue was collected from a group of villages (mahal) through the village headman. Land was collectively owned by the villagers.
Permanent Settlement: Revenue was collected from zamindars, who were made landowners by the British.
2. Revenue Revision & Area:
Mahalwari System: Revenue was revised periodically based on land productivity. Implemented in North-Western Provinces.
Permanent Settlement: Revenue was fixed permanently and never changed. Implemented in Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa.
5. Give two problems which arose with the new Munro system of fixing revenue.
Answer– The Munro system refers to the Ryotwari system introduced by Thomas Munro in southern India. Two major problems with this system were:
1. High Revenue Demand: The revenue demand was very high and fixed by the British without considering the actual productivity of the land. This burdened the peasants.
2. Direct Settlement with Peasants (Ryots): Since the government dealt directly with individual peasants, there was no middleman to support the ryots. If crops failed, peasants had no resources left and often fell into debt.
6. Why were ryots reluctant to grow indigo?
Answer– Ryots were reluctant to grow indigo due to several reasons:
a) Unfair Contracts: Planters forced ryots to sign contracts (satta) for growing indigo on a fixed portion of their land.
b) Soil Exhaustion: Indigo exhausted the fertility of the soil, making it difficult to grow food crops afterward.
c) Low Payment: Ryots were paid very little for the indigo, not even enough to cover the cost of production.
d) Coercion and Violence: Planters used pressure, coercion, and sometimes violence to enforce cultivation.
7. What were the circumstances which led to the eventual collapse of indigo production in Bengal?
Answer– The collapse of indigo production in Bengal was due to:
Widespread Ryot Resistance: Peasants started refusing to grow indigo. This led to what became known as the Indigo Revolt (1859โ60).
Support from Intelligentsia: The ryots got support from local intellectuals, press, and even some British officials.
Government Inquiry: A commission was appointed which supported the ryots and criticized the planters.
Availability of Synthetic Dyes: By the end of the 19th century, synthetic dyes became popular in Europe, drastically reducing the demand for natural indigo.
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