3. Land Tenure System
✣ These structures have impacted the nation in the form of political
organizations, legal systems, economic spheres.
✣ It was the primary source of income in India
✣ The deputies were allotted to apportion land and collect revenue
✣ It was a Three-Tier relationship in the land revenue collection system
3
4. Types of Land Tenure System-
✣ Mahalwari System - It was introduced by Holt Mackenzie in 1822 which was further updated by
William Bentick in 1833. In Northwest India, Central Province, and the Gangetic Valley. It served as
the main land revenue system.
✣ Ryotwari System - It was introduced by in 1820 and was the fundamental Land Revenue System in
South India. It covered sections of Assam, Madras and Bombay. Ryotwari system indisposed the
rights of the middleman. In Northern India, particularly Doab and Rohilkhand , talukdars were
suppressive.
4
5. Types of Land Tenure System-
✣ Zamindari System - Zamindars were the official holders of the land. Zamindari estates were
enormous in size, if a Zamindar took up farming, he could reap all the benefits of large-scale
output-unattainable in the smallholdings of the Mahalwari and Ryotwari districts. Post
colonialism, authority over land shifted. Poverty in village areas decreased, resulting in an
unbiased society with the primary resource land being distributed.
✣ Post colonialism- Authority over land shifted. Poverty in village areas decreased, resulting in an
unbiased society with the primary resource land being distributed. But most of the time, they
transferred the land to close relatives or family members, resulting in a concentration of land in a
few hands
5
7. States, Policies, and Economic Trajectories
✣ Different states and institutions - varying policies
✣ Division of states - different systems by the British
✣ Choice of land revenue system - influence of administrators, landlord/non-landlord states, political
events, etc.
✣ Madras - establishment of an individual cultivator system
✣ Implementation early in the Bombay Presidency
7
8. States, Policies, and Economic Trajectories
✣ Oudh province merged with the North-West Provinces - United Provinces - village-based revenue
system,
✣ Wider territory under landlord authority
8
9. States, Policies, and Economic Trajectories
✣ Period of conquest - non-landlord states
✣ Landlord-based systems - less administration by the British, - regions conquered earlier - likely to
have landlord-based systems.
✣ Presence of a landlord class prior to British - landlord system preferences - Bengal
✣ Central Provinces - landlord-based system chosen despite no existing landlord class.
9
11. ✣ The Bihar land tenure system was such that the government appointed Zamindars who would
collect revenue from the title-holders and submit it to the government which was a disadvantage
for the state especially for small scale farmers who worked on lands without ownership.
✣ The Zamindari system was clearly exploitative for Bihar as it promoted economic inequality.
✣ But as we focus on the present scenario of land system in Bihar where the new policies have and
the abolition of the zamindari system have promoted equality in the state in terms of land
ownership while being beneficial to the weaker sections within the state.
✣ So by taking the example of a state like Bihar it clearly shows how the present land system is
better than the land tenure and the Zamindari system.
Case Study- BIHAR
11
13. ✣ The Implementation of the Zamindari System – It increased the gap between rich zamindars
and poor land tenants, hence creating class inequalities which was used by the Britishers in their
advantage.
✣ Internal conflicts between the Indian National Congress and the Kisan Sabha in Bihar which
ultimately broke a long lasting friendship between the two and, strengthened Britishers political
stance in India.
Political Lens
13
14. ✣ Due to the implementation of the zamindari system, class inequalities were created which made
zamindars more richer and therefore, weakening the poor tenants. This acted as a diluting a
massive section of the society which further acted as a way of barrier in India’s growth.
✣ Introduction of the zamindari system and the commercialisation of agriculture together were a way
very strong tool for destroying the Indian agriculture system and, in a way, ruining the Indian
economy which was the primary goal of Britishers.
Economic Lens
14
16. ✣ The aim of the Britishers was to ruin the Indian economy and they did this by establishing the
Zamindari system in the Indian economy.
✣ The implications of the Zamindari system can still be visible in the Indian states as we saw in the
case of Bihar where there is still inequality between the rich and the weaker sections.
✣ In today’s times there have been various steps taken to abolish the Zamindari system from the
Indian economy through acts and legislations but the system still looks to be in performance in
some areas of the country.
Conclusion
16
