Question: How did the landlords save their land from auction?
Answer -
- by transferring your property to the name of the woman of the house
- By getting a fake bid from your agent
- Do not give possession to another person through your sticks
- Deliberately bidding high and then refusing to buy
Question: What benefits was the Company expecting by fixing the revenue demand permanently?
Answer -
- The company will receive revenue regularly
- The entrepreneur will be able to earn a certain profit from the investment of his capital
Question – What were the reasons for the failure of the landlords in paying the revenue?
Answer -
The initial revenue demands were very high. These demands were imposed in the 1790s when the price of agricultural produce was very low. It was necessary to pay the revenue on time irrespective of whether the crop was good or bad.
Question – What was the attitude of the British authorities towards the Rajmahal Hills in the 1770s and 1780s?
Answer -
- The British officers adopted a cruel policy towards the pahadis and started hunting and killing them.
- In the 1780s, Augustus Cleveland, the collector of Bhagalpur, proposed a pacification policy according to which the Paharia chiefs were to be given an annual allowance in return for the maintenance of the health of their men.
- They were also expected to maintain order in their settlements and keep their people disciplined. But many Pahariya chiefs refused to accept the allowance.
- Most of those who accepted it lost their power in their community.
Question - What precautions should we take while reading Buchanan's description? Write in detail.
Answer -
- While reading Buchanan’s account we must keep in mind that he was an employee of the British East India Company.
- His travels were not only inspired by a love of landscapes and a search for the unknown.
- He travelled everywhere with a large group of cartographers, surveyors, palanquin bearers, porters, etc.
- His travels were funded by the East India Company because it needed the information Buchanan was expected to gather.
- Buchanan was given clear instructions on what he was to see, find, and write about.
Question - " The Permanent Settlement was rarely implemented outside Bengal?" Examine this statement.
Answer -
- This statement means that the Permanent Settlement was rarely implemented outside Bengal because as the rule of the East India Company spread outside Bengal, new systems of revenue collection were introduced.
- This was done because the cost of agriculture had increased after 1810 and the company wanted to make more profits by way of revenue due to the increased price
Question - How is the revenue system implemented in Bombay Deccan different from the system implemented in Bengal? Which principles were kept in mind in this?
Answer -
- The revenue system that was implemented in Bombay Deccan is called Ryotwari. Unlike the system implemented in Bengal, under this system the amount of revenue was settled directly with the ryot.
- The average income from different types of land was estimated.
- The revenue paying capacity of the raiyat was assessed and a proportion of it was fixed as the government's share. After every 30 years the lands were resurveyed and the revenue rate was increased accordingly. Hence the revenue demand was no longer permanent.
Question: On the basis of which facts can you say that the life of the Pahadia people was linked to the forest?
Answer -
- The people of the hills used to make their living from the produce of the forest
- They used to do Jhum farming
- They used to collect Mahua flowers from the forests to eat.
- They collected cocoon and resin from the forest to sell.
- They lived in huts built between the trees
Question - What were the reasons for the Santhal revolt against British rule? Describe.
Answer -
- The Santhals' land was heavily taxed by the British government
- High rate of interest charged by the British government
- seizure of land due to default in payment of loan
Question: What problems did the Pahadia people face due to the arrival of the Santhals?
Answer -
With the advent of the Santhals the Pahadia people were forced to move inland into the Rajmahal Hills and were prevented from moving down into the lower hills and valleys and were confined to the rockier and more barren tracts of the upper hills and the arid interior regions.
This had a bad effect on their lifestyle and life and later on they became poor.
Question - How did the American Civil War affect the lives of the Rayat community in India? Explain.
Answer -
In 1861, there was a civil war in America. After that, Britain started getting less cotton from America. In such a situation, the demand for cotton from India increased. In such a situation, the raiyat community of India was affected. They suddenly started getting unlimited loans. They started getting an advance of Rs. 100 for every acre of cotton grown. Moneylenders also became ready to give loans for a long period.
Question - Which revenue system was implemented in Bombay Deccan? Describe its features.
Answer -
The revenue system introduced in Bombay Deccan is called Ryotwari. Under this system the amount of revenue was settled directly with the raiyat. The average income from different types of land was estimated. The revenue paying capacity of the raiyat was assessed and a proportion of it was fixed as the government's share. After every 30 years the lands were re-surveyed and the rate of revenue was increased accordingly. Hence the revenue demand was no longer permanent.
Question: Explain the conflict between the plough and the spade during the 18th century from the point of view of the Pahadias and the Santhals.
- The Pahari people lived in the Rajmahal hills and practiced Jhum agriculture and used hoe
- But the Santhal people practiced permanent agriculture and used plough.
- With the arrival of the Santhals, the hill people had to settle inland in the Rajmahal hills.
- The British officers encouraged the Santhals, because of which they started cutting the forest and they had a conflict with the Santhal people.
Question – Explain the evidence given in the context of the fifth report.
Answer -
- The fifth report was submitted regarding the administration and activities of the East India Company
- In this, the applications of the peasants and the landlords were presented.
- In this, the reports of collectors of different districts were presented
- Statistical tables related to revenue statement
- Comments written by officials
Question - The company's activities in England were closely monitored since the 1760s. What were the objectives behind doing this?
Answer -
- Opposition to the monopoly of the East India Company with India and China by many groups in Britain.
- Increase in the number of private traders willing to do business with India.
- British industrialists were keen to open the Indian market to British manufacturers.
- The victory over Bengal benefited only the East India Company and not the entire British nation.
- Bad governance and disorganised administration by the company.
- Greed and corruption of the company officials.
- Debate on these topics in the British Parliament.
Question – Critically explain the British land revenue policies.
Answer -
Three major land revenue policies: Permanent Settlement, Ryotwari, Mahalwari
Permanent Settlement -
1. Introduced by Charles Cornwallis in 1793.
2. Permanent Settlement (Istamari Settlement) implemented in Bengal, Bihar, Orissa and Varanasi.
As Zamindar Collector -
1. Revenue demand was fixed and at high rates.
2. To collect the revenue amount fixed by the landlords from the villages.
3. Paying revenue amount regularly to the company.
4. If the rent is not paid on time, the landlord's land is confiscated and auctioned.
Rayatwadi -
1. Introduced in Bombay Deccan in 1820 by Thomas Munro.
2. The amount of revenue was fixed directly with the raiyat.
3. Land ownership to the Raiyat.
4. The demand for revenue is not permanent.
Mahalwadi -
1. Applicable in North-West India.
2. The land was divided into Mahals.
3. The entire Mahal (village) was considered as one unit.
4. Land revenue collected by the village headman.
Question – What impact did the American Civil War have on the life of the Raiyat community in India?
Answer -
- A sharp drop in the import of raw materials from the US to Britain.
- Message to export British cotton to India and other countries.
- Visits to cotton growing areas by cotton merchants from Bombay.
- Rise in cotton prices.
- Cotton exporters buying as much cotton as possible and sending it to Britain.
- Higher advance amounts should be given to urban moneylenders.
- Reason – So that moneylenders can give money to rural lenders.
- Villagers can easily get loans.
- Suddenly unlimited credit became available to the peasants in the Deccan areas.
- Increase in cotton production.
- Some rich farmers benefit.
- Most of the farmers are becoming more burdened with debt.
Question - Permanent settlement was implemented by whom? Mention its main sections.
Answer -
- The Permanent Settlement or Permanent Settlement was introduced in Bengal by Lord Cornwallis in 1793.
- An agreement regarding tax collection between the landholders of Bengal and the East India Company.
- The landholders were given land for a fixed amount.
- After the death of the landowner, his heir obtains ownership of the land.
- The landlords had to pay the fixed amount to the company within a fixed time limit.
- Under the sunset law, this amount had to be deposited before sunset on the due date.
- If the amount is not deposited, the land of the landowner will be auctioned.
- The rates of payable amount were fixed (permanent) and high. The landlord was the company's collector and the farmer as a tenant.
- The company thinks that the landowner will have a sense of security when the demand for revenue is determined.
Question – Critically review the report of the Deccan Riots Commission.
Answer -
- The British Government was worried due to the spread of rebellion in the Deccan.
- Pressure on the Bombay government to investigate the causes of the rebellion.
- A commission was formed to investigate the causes.
- The report was prepared by the Commission and presented in the British Parliament in 1878.
- The report was called the Deccan Riots Report.
- Investigation of riot-affected districts by the Commission.
- Statements of peasant class, money lenders and eye witnesses were recorded.
- Collected data regarding revenue rates, prices and interest in different areas.
- Compilation of reports sent by District Collectors.
- These reports need to be studied critically.
- The reports are governmental and written from the administration's perspective.
- These reports reflect government concerns and meanings.
Question - The Santhal people started settling in the Rajmahal hills. Describe the reaction of the British in this context.
Answer -
