Question

How did the famines alienate the goodwill of Indians for the British?

Answer 1

The peasants were discontent with the official land revenue policy and the consequent loss of their land. In fact, it was the peasantry that bore the heavy burden of taxes to provide money for the trade of the company for the cost of administration and the wars of British expansion in India. Increase in the land revenue forced many peasants into indebtedness or into selling their lands. The traditional zamindars were replaced by merchants and moneylenders. These new landowners had no concern for the peasants. They pushed rents to exorbitant levels and evicted their tenants in case of non payment. the economic decline of the peasants affected cultivation and led to many famines.