Ruling the Countryside: The East India Company’s Dominance Over Rural India
After establishing political control over vast swathes of India, the East India Company turned its attention to the lucrative agricultural sector. Chapter 3 in the Grade 8 Social Science NCERT textbook reveals the transformation of the Indian countryside under British rule, focusing on revenue systems, forced commercialization, and their far-reaching effects.
1. The East India Company Becomes Zamindar
The battle victories of Plassey and Buxar not only gave territorial control but also rights to revenue collection.
- Diwani Rights (1765): The right to collect revenues from the eastern province, primarily Bengal, was granted to the Company.
2. Permanent Settlement of 1793
Introduced by Lord Cornwallis, it aimed at maximizing revenue and stabilizing the company’s income.
- Zamindars: Recognized as the hereditary owners of land. Tasked to collect and pay a fixed sum annually to the company.
- Challenges: The high and fixed revenue demands often led to Zamindars losing their lands due to non-payment.
3. The Ryotwari System
Adopted primarily in the southern and western parts of India.
- Direct Link: The system removed intermediaries and established a direct relationship between the Company and the peasant (or ryot).
- Land Revenue: Typically, the revenue was set at 50% of the estimated produce.
- Thomas Munro: A key proponent of this system.
4. The Mahalwari System
Implemented in parts of North and Central India.
- Village Level Collection: A collective group, or a ‘mahal,’ was responsible for revenue payment. The headman typically managed collections.
5. The Drive for Cash Crops
With industrialization in England, there was a growing demand for raw materials, leading to a shift in Indian agriculture.
- Indigo Cultivation: Farmers were coerced into cultivating indigo instead of food crops, which led to tensions and eventual revolts.
- Opium Production: The British also pushed for opium production, primarily for export to China.
6. The Blue Rebellion and After
The oppressive practices in indigo cultivation culminated in the ‘Blue Rebellion’ or the ‘Indigo Revolt’ of 1859.
- Neel Darpan: A play by Dinabandhu Mitra that highlighted the plight of indigo farmers.
- The Aftermath: The British government had to intervene, leading to the 1860 Act which absolved farmers from the “indigo contracts.”
7. Implications on Indian Agriculture
The Company’s policies had lasting effects on the agrarian landscape.
- Food Scarcity: Focusing on cash crops often led to reduced food crop cultivation, causing shortages and famines.
- Debt and Dependency: The high revenue demands meant farmers were frequently in debt, leading to loss of land and deepening poverty.
In Conclusion
“Ruling the Countryside” provides insights into the agricultural alterations made by the East India Company and their repercussions on India’s rural population. While the Company reaped immense profits, it left behind a legacy of agrarian distress, famines, and indebtedness.
Note: This article offers an SEO-optimized overview of Chapter 3 ‘Ruling the Countryside’ from the Grade 8 Social Science NCERT textbook. It’s advisable to consult the original NCERT material for comprehensive details, examples, and context.
