Question

How were the unwilling cultivators made to produce opium?

Answer 1

(i) Indian cultivators were not ready to grow opium because it was an unprofitable business for them. Seeing their unwillingness, the British government started a system of advances.
(ii) In the normal areas of Bengal and Bihar, there were large numbers of poor peasants. They never had enough to survive. From the $1780s$, such peasants found their village headmen giving them money advances to grow opium.
(iii) The innocent peasants did not understand that it was the government opium agents who were advancing the money to the headmen, who in turn gave to them.
(iv) When offered a loan, the cultivators were tempted to accept, hoping to meet their immediate needs and pay back the loan at a later stage. Thus, it was the system of advances that made the unwilling cultivators grow opium.