Land revenue settlement under the British led to the new form of private ownership that did not benefit the peasantry class. Infact , it led to their impoverishment. The ownership of land became unequal.
The village artisans became jobless and landless labourers. The peasantry were exploited by the money lenders and middlemen. This system gave rise to landlordism that had negative impact on the Indians especially the peasantry.
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The issue of land revenue settlement during British rule in India is complex and multifaceted, shaping significant socio-economic changes that persist today. I've delved extensively into this topic, drawing on historical records, academic analyses, and primary sources to understand the intricacies and consequences of this pivotal period.
Land revenue settlement under British rule indeed ushered in a new system of land ownership that severely disadvantaged the peasantry. One of the primary methods employed was the Permanent Settlement of 1793 in Bengal, where zamindars (landlords) were given proprietary rights over land, leading to an unequal distribution of land and power. The peasantry, primarily subsistence farmers, faced increased exploitation and impoverishment due to exorbitant taxation imposed by the zamindars.
This unequal ownership structure disrupted traditional agrarian societies. Village artisans, no longer supported by the dwindling economic stability of the peasantry, found themselves without patronage and livelihoods, often becoming landless laborers struggling for survival. This shift from self-sufficient village economies to a system favoring landlords and middlemen contributed significantly to the socio-economic downfall of the peasantry.
Furthermore, the emergence of moneylenders and middlemen took advantage of the peasantry's vulnerability, imposing high-interest rates and exploiting their dire financial circ*mstances. The resulting indebtedness further trapped the peasantry in a cycle of poverty and servitude, exacerbating their exploitation.
The rise of landlordism, a direct consequence of these policies, entrenched social inequality and economic disparity. Landlords, benefiting from the land revenue system, became a powerful class that controlled resources and exploited the labor of the peasantry, perpetuating a system that disadvantaged the majority of Indians.
The repercussions of this period continue to reverberate in modern India, with unequal land distribution, socio-economic disparities, and challenges in rural development stemming from the historical consequences of British land revenue policies.
In summary, the British-led land revenue settlement created a system that consolidated land ownership in the hands of a privileged few, leading to the impoverishment, exploitation, and disenfranchisem*nt of the peasantry, and contributing to the rise of landlordism, which had a profoundly negative impact on Indian society.
