Question

After the Mughal era, what were the changes brought about under colonial rule? Explain in the context of the Permanent Settlement.

Answer 1

The answer to any long question requires a brief introduction. In this question start with an introduction by stating the most obvious reason for starting a new system, which was, the need to increase cultivation and produce more foodgrains.
After the introduction focus on highlighting 5 important key points. These points should help the examiner know that you understand the exploitative nature of the permanent settlement, how revenue rates were fixed by the government, zamindars and their policy of taking high rents from tenants and ultimately how all cultivators became tenants since it was difficult to pay such high rates of revenues.

Answer 1: Due to the previous misuse of land and state of famine in the country, the British came up with a new system of revenue collection with the motive of promoting cultivation and encouraging zamindars to invest more in agriculture. This new system was known as Permanent Settlement. It was introduced in 1793 under Governor-General Cornwallis. Following were some of the key features of the permanent settlement when it was introduced:

1. Zamindars were given the right to collect land revenue agreed upon in auctions in their villages. The zamindars passed on 90% of the revenue to the government and kept 10% for themselves.
2. All the zamindars were required to invest in their farms in order to improve the condition of cultivable land to increase the yield of all land.
3. The land revenue was fixed permanently and did not change. It was a uniform revenue rate fixed on all lands. In case the zamindars failed to pay their due their zamindari rights were taken away from them.
4. The exploitative nature of the settlement turned all cultivators into tenants over time, since the zamindars forced very high revenue rates on them despite the rates being fixed by the government.
5. The zamindars started charging the farmers or tenants higher rent rates than the revenue and in this way increased their own profits. This led to tenants paying higher rents and getting exploited in return.