COLONIALISM AND THE COUNTRYSIDE
Chapter 1
ANSWER IN 100-150 WORDS
1. Why was the jotedar a powerful figure in many areas of rural Bengal?
Answer:-
Jotedars were rich peasants in Bengal. They owned big plots of land sometimes running into thousand of acres of land. They controlled local trade and commerce including the money lending business. They had great influence on the local village population. They were regarded more powerful than the Zamindars even. Following are the main reasons for the high status of Jotedars.
1. The Jotedars controlled trade and commerce including money lending business at the local level.
2. In order to weaken the Zamindars, Jotedars would mobilise ryots not to pay or delay payment towards land revenue.
3. The Jotedars opposed the moves of Zamindars to increase the Jama of a village.
4. The Jotedars lived in villages only. Hence they were in a better position to interact with and influence the peasants.
5 Jotedars were rich and owned big areas of land under cultivation. Many a time they would buy estates of Zamindar. That would be auctioned due to failure to pay up land revenue.
2. How did zamindars manage to retain control over their zamindaris?
Answer:-
The zamindars manage to retain control over their zamindaris in the following manners:
3. Sometimes even the ryots resisted the outsiders because of their close relationship with the zamindars. The ryots considered themselves subjects (subjects) of the zamindar.
Therefore, the zamindars could not be displaced. Subsequently, the revenue payment rules were made flexible. As a result, the power of the zamindars over the villages became stronger. It was not until the Great Depression of the 1930s that their power collapsed and the joteders consolidated their power in the countryside.
3. How did the Paharias respond to the coming of outsiders?
Answer:-
The mountaineers live on the hill of the palace. The British began to communicate with them and later the Santals began to settle there. The hillbillies’ response was as follows:
1. The Paharias initially resisted the settlement of the Santals but over time had to give way to them.
2. The mountaineers moved deeper into the mountains.
3. They were confined over time to more infertile and rocky areas of the mountains.
4. The mountaineers changed their cultivation. Now shifting cultivation was more difficult as a proper and steady settlement.
5. As the forests began to clear, the mountains could no longer rely on them for livelihood. Therefore, the lifestyle and lifestyle of the Paharias changed due to the arrival of outsiders.
4. Why did the Santhals rebel against British rule?
Answer:-
By 1832 the Santhals had settled in Damin-i-Koh area. Their settlement expanded rapidly. Forests were cleared to accommodate them. The Company also benefitted as it got more and more land revenue. However, the Santhals too got dissatisfied. They rebelled against the British rule. Following are the main causes for their rebellion.
1. Santhals were not happy with the tax regime of the company. They thought that the land revenue rates were high and exploitative .
2. The Zamindars began to exercise greater control on the areas brought under cultivation by Santhals, apparently it was a part of the British Policy. But Santhals resented that.
3. Moneylenders in the rural areas were seen as villain and agent of Company rule by the Santhals. Moneylenders could auction the land of Santhals in case of defaulter. All this was not liked by the Santhals.
The British took steps to placate the Santhals later on. A separate district of Santhal Pargana was carved out and law was enacted to protect the santhals.
5. What explains the anger of the Deccan ryots against the moneylenders?
Answer:-
During the Civil War in the United States, Indian merchants hoped to capture the world market for raw cotton, but this did not happen. On the other hand, the following events occurred after the Civil War:
• Cotton production in the United States revived and Indian cotton exports to the British gradually declined.
• In Maharashtra, exporters and chahukars refused to give long-term loans. They limited progress for farmers and demanded payment of outstanding loans.
• At the same time as the first revenue settlement expired, the revenue demand was increased from 50 to 100 per cent.
Write a short essay (250 -300 words) on the following:
6. Why were many zamindaris auctioned after the Permanent Settlement?
Answer:-
Many zamindars were auctioned as the zamindars failed to pay the agreed land revenue on time. The reason for this is:
1. Many believed that the land revenue settlement was on the higher side. Moreover, food prices fell after the permanent settlement. The ryots could not pay the land revenue and so the zamindars also refused.
2. Revenue was to be accrued on time irrespective of the crop cycle. This was another cause of default by the zamindars.
3. The power of the zamindars was controlled by the Company. They were no longer law enforcement agencies at the local level. Their muscle workers were also weakened. As a result, the zamindars sometimes could not collect taxes effectively.
4. Many times the jotedars and cultivators deliberately delayed the payment of land revenue. This resulted in a default by the zamindars followed by an auction.
7. In what way was the livelihood of the Paharias different from that of the Santhals?
Answer:-
The mountaineers lived at the foot of the palace. They lived a life which was different from Santal. Much of the information on their lives is based on the reports of Buchanan, an East India Company physician who roamed the territory of the Rajmahal Hills.
1. The mountaineers were nomads. They lived an itinerant life. However, they sometimes changed cultivation.
2. Their forests are another important source of wealth and livelihood for their animals.
3. They extracted mahua and used it. Colonialism and the Countryside: Exploring the Official Archive
4. Paharias viewed outsiders with suspicion and were even hostile towards them.
5. The Santals differed from them in many ways.
6. The Santals went rapidly to agriculture and soon settled into a settled life.
7. They had good relations with outsiders, including the East India Company.
8. How did the American Civil War affect the lives of ryots in India?
Answer:-
The American Civil War affected the lives of ryots in India in the following ways:
1. In the beginning, as a result of civil war, the imports of cotton from America fell from over 2,000,000 bales in 1861 to 55,000 bales in 1862. The Britain looked towards to fill the gap. Thus, export merchants in Bombay were keen to avail this opportunity to earn maximum. The advances to urban sahukars, moneylenders and ultimately to the ryots were provided. This led to increase in cotton production. The ryots were given ? 100 as advance for every acre they planted with cotton. The cotton export to Britain increased but this did not bring prosperity for all. Some rich peasants gained but for the majority of cotton producers including the ryots, cotton expansion led to heavier debt.
2. The end of war again affected the ryots badly because with the revival of cotton production in America, the Indian exports declined. The sahukars were no longer interested in extending long-term loans. The demand for cotton had reduced, cotton prices slided downwards. It hit the ryots badly.
3. At the same time, under the new settlement for revenue, the demand was increased from 50 to 100 per cent. Under the conditions of falling prices and reduction in the growth of cotton in the absences of loans, it was not possible for the ryots to make payment of the inflated demand. Once again they had no option except to take loan from the moneylender but they refused to extend loans. This made the condition of ryots miserable and ultimately led to riots.
9. What are the problems of using official sources in writing about the history of peasants?
Answer:-
The official sources of the Company Raj are not considered as reliable sources of history when it came to ryots.
The following are the major problems in relation to official sources of history.
1. The official records merely reflect the perspective of the Company Raj. They did not look at events from different angles. For example, when the Deccan Rights Commission was started, it was necessary to know whether the land revenue was fair or not. Riot's other issues were not considered.
2. The British people looked down on the local people, their culture and traditions. They gave a low picture of the peasants but without its purpose.
3. The records of the company raj were created by the officers in such a way that it is suitable for their employer. therefore, the evidence was withheld. The Deccan Riot Commission, for instance, concluded that the ryots were angered not by the high land revenue but by the mahajan.
4. Thus, official sources are to be read alongwith other sources and need to be weighed before we take them to our stride.
Map work
10. On an outline map of the subcontinent, mark out the areas described in this chapter. Find out whether there were other areas where the Permanent Settlement and the ryotwari system were prevalent and plot these on the map as well.
Answer:-
In the chapter the following areas have been mentioned of the subcontinent.
(a) Bengal. (Bangladesh along with certain area of Bihar, Orissa and hilly areas of Assam).
(b) Bombay Presidency and
(c) Madras Presidency,
(d) The Britishers introduced Mahalwari system of land revenue in eastern part of Punjab
(e) Surat
(f) Rajmahal hills (occupied by Paharias and Santhals).
Projects (choose one)
11. Francis Buchanan published reports on several districts of eastern India. Read one report and collate the information available about rural society, focusing on the themes discussed in this chapter. Highlight the ways in which historians can use such texts.
Answer:-
12. In the region where you live, talk to the older people within a rural community and visit the fields they now cultivate. Find out what they produce, how they earn their livelihoods, what their parents did, what their sons and daughters do now, and how their lives have changed over the last 75 years. Write a report based on your findings.
Answer:-
