๐ Class 12 History – Chapter 10
๐พ Colonialism and the Countryside (NCERT / CBSE Notes)
❇️ Meaning of Colonialism and Countryside
๐น Colonialism → Slavery ideology (เค़ुเคฒाเคฎी เคी เคตिเคाเคฐเคงाเคฐा)
๐น Countryside → Village or rural life (เค्เคฐाเคฎीเคฃ เคीเคตเคจ)
๐ Together it means: Impact of British colonial rule on Indian rural society.
⚔️ War of Plassey (1757)
๐น Fought on 23 June 1757 at Plassey, near River Ganga in Nadia district, 22 km south of Murshidabad.
๐น British East India Company (under Robert Clive) ⚔️ vs Nawab Siraj-ud-Daulah of Bengal.
๐น Result → British victory ✅ → Bengal became the first Indian region under British control.
๐ฐ Tax System under British Rule
After victory in Bengal, British introduced new Revenue Collection Systems (เคฐाเคเคธ्เคต เคต्เคฏเคตเคธ्เคฅा):
1️⃣ Isthmari / Zamindari / Permanent Settlement (1793) → Implemented in Bengal, Bihar, Orissa, UP, Banaras, North Karnataka (19% land).
2️⃣ Ryotwari System (1792) → In Madras, Bombay, Assam (51% land).
3️⃣ Mahalwari System (1822) → In Central Provinces, UP & Punjab (30% land).
๐ฐ Isthmari Settlement (Permanent Settlement – 1793)
๐น Introduced in Bengal under Governor-General Cornwallis.
๐น Zamindars = Tax collectors (not real landowners).
๐น Fixed revenue decided → Non-payment = Land Auction (เคจीเคฒाเคฎी).
๐น More than 75% zamindari estates transferred after its implementation.
๐น Also called Sunset Law (if payment not done by sunset → land seized).
๐ฏ Objectives of Permanent Settlement
๐น Regular & fixed revenue for the Company.
๐น Solve Bengal’s economic crisis after 1770 famine.
๐น Encourage agricultural investment ๐ฑ.
๐น Control zamindars → abolish their military, judicial & administrative powers.
๐ Benefits to Zamindars
✨ Became hereditary landowners.
✨ Supported British rule & strengthened their power.
✨ Took interest in agriculture → production increased ๐.
✨ British got fixed annual income.
✨ No repeated negotiations for rent → Zamindars collected revenue themselves.
⚠️ Bad Effects on Peasants
❌ Farmers left at mercy of Zamindars.
❌ Exploitation (เคถोเคทเคฃ) increased.
❌ Peasants had no legal rights on land.
❌ Rent rates were too high → increasing poverty ๐.
❌ Rich Zamindars vs Poor Peasants = Social divide.
❓ Why Zamindars Failed to Pay Revenue?
๐น Revenue demand was too high → if unpaid, lands were auctioned ๐จ.
๐น Negligence in land reforms → arrears (เคฌเคाเคฏा) increased.
๐น British fixed revenue permanently → even during famine/drought, same tax demanded.
๐น Crop failures ๐พ due to droughts/floods → impossible to pay revenue.
๐ Class 12 History – Zamindars under British Rule
❇️ Control over the Powers of Zamindars
⚔️ Military Weakening – Troops of zamindars were disbanded (เคญंเค เคเคฐ เคฆिเค เคเค)।
๐ฐ Customs Duty Abolished – Taxes levied by zamindars were removed, benefiting the company.
⚖️ Court Supervision – Zamindar courts came under Company-selected Collectors.
๐ฎ Police Authority Ended – Local police power (used for administration) was abolished.
๐ Collector’s Authority – Over time, collectors handled all administration. If revenue was unpaid, summons were issued immediately.
❇️ Status of Zamindars under East India Company
๐ Permanent Settlement (1793) – If zamindar failed to pay revenue, land was auctioned.
๐ 75% Loss – More than three-fourths of zamindars lost land due to frequent auctions.
๐ฐ Tax Collectors Only – Zamindars became just collectors of land revenue.
❇️ Reasons for Decline of Zamindars
๐ธ High Revenue – Revenue fixed was too high → land auctioned.
๐พ Low Agricultural Prices – Farmers couldn’t pay → Zamindars suffered losses.
๐ช️ Natural Calamities – Even in bad crop years, tax had to be paid.
⚖️ Lengthy Lawsuits – Zamindars could only sue farmers, leading to losses & delays.
❇️ Why Zamindars Failed to Pay Revenue?
๐พ Famine of 1770 devastated Bengal.
๐ Fixed High Rates (1793) – Rates decided keeping future expectations; very unrealistic.
⏳ Sunset Law – If revenue unpaid by sunset, land was confiscated/auctioned.
๐ฅ Confusion of Authority – Unclear who would collect rent: talukdar, zamindar, or collector.
๐ฐ Rich Farmers Exploited – Wealthy peasants forced small farmers → zamindars couldn’t collect tax.
❇️ Sunset Method (๐ เคธूเคฐ्เคฏाเคธ्เคค เคชเคฆ्เคงเคคि)
๐น If zamindars failed to pay revenue before sunset on due date →
✅ Double penalty on revenue
✅ Zamindar’s land/property auctioned
❇️ Key Terms
๐ Talukdar (เคคाเคฒुเคเคฆाเคฐ) – "Taluka" = district + "dar" = owner → Revenue collector of a district.
๐ Ryot (เคฐैเคฏเคค/เคिเคธाเคจ) – British term for farmer. In Bengal, ryots often leased land to landless farmers instead of farming themselves.
❇️ Auction of Burdwan Estate
๐ฉ Property in Women’s Name – King of Burdwan transferred land to his mother to avoid revenue.
⚖️ Company’s Auction – Land was auctioned; zamindar’s own men bought it at high bids → later refused to pay.
๐ Re-auction Drama – Process repeated; bidders exhausted. Finally, land sold cheaply back to zamindar.
๐ 1793–1801 – In Bengal, 1 in 4 big zamindars lost land. More than 95% were fake/benami sales.
❇️ How Zamindars Saved Their Property from Auction
๐ญ Fraudulent Sales – Land transferred under fake ownerships.
๐ฉ Women’s Property Trick – Land registered under women (protected by Isthmari Act).
๐ด️ Bribery & Manipulation – Auction agents influenced.
๐ Artificial High Bids – Own men placed higher bids to discourage outsiders.
๐ฅ Use of Lathiyals (เคฒเค ैเคค เคตเคฐ्เค) – Hired men to threaten/beat new buyers.
๐ช Block New Buyers – Prevented outsiders from taking possession of land.
๐ฐ By 1790s – Many zamindars managed to retain wealth despite challenges.
๐ Fifth Report, Ryotwari & Mahalwari Systems, Hill People & Santhals
❇️ Fifth Report (1813)
๐ In 1813, the East India Company presented the Fifth Report to the British Parliament.
- It contained 1002 pages, based on petitions of 800+ landlords & peasants.
- Purpose → To monitor and review the Company’s rule in India.
✨ Features of the Fifth Report
๐น Opposition in England to the Company’s monopoly.
๐น Intervention of other political parties in England.
๐น Interest of private traders in Indian markets.
๐น Allegations of maladministration & corruption against the Company.
๐น Became the basis of debates on Company’s rule in Parliament.
๐น As a result, Regulating Act (1773) made it compulsory for the Company to send regular reports.
⚖️ Criticism of the Fifth Report
๐น Sparked serious debates in Parliament.
๐น Exposed decline of zamindars under Company rule.
๐น Highlighted manipulations by zamindars to save land during auctions.
๐น Increased opposition from British merchants → Parliament asserted control over Company.
❇️ Ryotwari System
๐️ First introduced in Bar-Mahal (Madras Presidency, 1792).
๐ Expanded by Captain Munro in 1820.
- Direct relation between Company & ryots (peasants).
- No role of zamindars/middlemen.
- Every farmer = owner of land (recognized by Capt. Read & Munro).
- Revenue to be paid directly to Company.
- Land confiscated on non-payment of tax.
๐ Effects of Ryotwari in Madras
๐น Farmers exploited → fell into debt & poverty.
๐น Rural economy declined.
๐น About 18 crore acres left barren.
๐น Agriculture deteriorated.
๐พ Ryotwari in Mumbai
- Implemented by Governor Elphinstone (1819–1827) after annexation of Peshwa territories.
- Land survey by Pingal (1824–28) → wrongly estimated yields.
- High tax burden → many lands abandoned, becoming barren.
❇️ Mahalwari System (1822)
๐ Introduced in U.P. & M.P. by Lord Wellesley.
- Revenue fixed → collected through village headman (muqaddam) or big ryot.
- Mahal = village unit for revenue collection.
- Zamindar had to pay fixed revenue, could keep the rest.
๐ Effects of Mahalwari System
๐น Decline of zamindars’ condition.
๐น Many lost lands due to revenue arrears.
๐น Farmers & landlords reduced to labourers.
๐น Caused discontent → one of the roots of Revolt of 1857.
❇️ Hill People (Paharias)
๐️ Lived around Rajmahal Hills (present-day Bengal).
- Depended on forests → mahua flowers, silk, red coal, firewood.
- Practised Jhum cultivation (shifting agriculture).
- Burnt bushes & used ashes as manure.
- Kept land fallow for fertility.
- Hostile to outsiders, resisted Company control.
- Gradually displaced as forests shrank & plains agriculture expanded.
❇️ Arrival of Santhals
๐ฑ In late 18th century, Santhals migrated to Rajmahal Hills.
- Cultivated rice & cotton with plough.
- Cleared forests for timber & permanent farming.
- Settled in lower hills, pushing Paharias further back.
- Conflict arose between Paharias (hoe cultivation) & Santhals (plough cultivation).
❇️ Settlement of Santhals
๐ก In 1832, Company officially settled Santhals in Damin-i-Koh (Rajmahal Hills).
- Encouraged to clear forests & start permanent cultivation.
- Their settlement marked a new agrarian community in Bengal region.
⚔️ Colonialism and the Countryside (Peasants Revolt & Surveys)
❇️ Santhal Rebellion (1855–1856)
๐น When government officials, landlords & traders exploited the Santhals, they rose in revolt. This uprising is called Santhal Rebellion.
๐น It began in 1855 (not 1846 ❌) and was led by Sidhu & Kanhu.
๐น Actions of Rebellion:
- Looted houses of landlords ๐
- Attacked moneylenders ๐ฐ
- Fought against oppressive officials ⚔️
๐น Beliefs of Santhals –
They considered Sidhu & Kanhu as messengers of God (เคเคถ्เคตเคฐ เคे เคฆूเคค) who would end their exploitation.
๐น Main Demands:
1️⃣ Stop exploitation (เคถोเคทเคฃ)
2️⃣ Return their lost land (เคญूเคฎि)
3️⃣ Live an independent life (เคธ्เคตเคคंเคค्เคฐ เคीเคตเคจ)
๐น Company ignored these warnings → Santhals launched an armed revolt using bows, arrows, spears & axes.
❇️ Suppression of Rebellion
๐น The revolt spread rapidly and even non-Santhals of lower class joined in.
๐น But the Company, with modern weapons (เคเคงुเคจिเค เคนเคฅिเคฏाเคฐ), crushed the rebellion.
๐น After suppression, to pacify Santhals, the British created a separate region – Santhal Pargana (area – 5500 sq. miles) including Bhagalpur & Birbhum districts.
❇️ Francis Buchanan (Hamilton)
๐น Francis Buchanan (1794–1815 period) contributed valuable accounts & surveys about India.
๐น Not a historian, but a doctor & surveyor. For some time he served as Wellesley’s surgeon.
๐น Founded a zoo in Kolkata ๐
(later Alipore Zoo).
๐น Conducted land surveys for Bengal government.
๐น Later adopted his mother’s surname → known as Francis Buchanan Hamilton.
❇️ Deccan Riots (1875)
๐น Took place on 12 May 1875, in Supa village, Pune district (Maharashtra).
๐น Cause – Farmers (ryots) angry against moneylenders (เคธूเคฆเคोเคฐ).
๐น Actions during revolt:
- Burnt accounts of moneylenders ๐๐ฅ
- Set their houses on fire ๐️
- Looted grain shops ๐พ
❇️ Deccan Riot Commission (1875)
๐น Bombay Government appointed a Commission of Inquiry.
๐น Its Report (1875) sent to British Parliament included:
- Statements of ryots & moneylenders
- Reports of collectors
- Land revenue details
- Petitions of peasants
๐น This became an important historical source (เคเคคिเคนाเคธिเค เคธ्เคฐोเคค) to study the Deccan Riots.
