Ruling the Countryside and Crop Planning under British Rule

Flashcards covering revenue systems, agricultural policies, and crop planning under British rule in India based on the lecture notes.

12 August (Diwani Rights)

The date when Shah Alam II granted Diwani rights to the British after being defeated in the Battle of Buxar.

Battle of Buxar

The battle in which Shah Alam II was defeated, leading him to grant Diwani rights to the British East India Company.

Bengal Starvation

A severe crisis caused by high revenue collection set by the East India Company, resulting in 1/3 of the population of Bengal dying from starvation.

Permanent Settlement (1793)

A system introduced in 1793 where Rajas and taluqdars were recognized as zamindars to collect tax from people and pay a fixed revenue to the British.

Zamindar

An individual (formerly a Raja or taluqdar) tasked with collecting tax from farmers for the British; failing to pay the fixed revenue meant losing their zamindari.

Crop Planning by Britishers

The practice of directing specific crop cultivation across regions: Jute in Bengal, Tea in Assam, Sugarcane in Uttar Pradesh, Wheat and Rice in Punjab, and Cotton in Madras.

Indigo Cultivation Impact

A high-demand textile dye crop in Europe whose deep roots made the land infertile after a few years of cultivation.

Nig System

An indigo cultivation system where planters directly purchased or rented land for long periods, facing labor shortages during winter when workers were busy on their own rice farms.

Ryoti System

An indigo cultivation system where planters provided advance loans to zamindars and farmers, forcing them to grow indigo and buy it back at extremely low prices, resulting in heavy debt and rebellion.

Thomas Munro

The Governor General who introduced the Munro System for direct tax collection in South India.

Munro System

A tax collection system applied in South India where taxes were collected directly from farmers, set at very high rates, leading to land loss if unpaid.

Collector

An official who visited villages to investigate land fertility and decide the revenue demand for the village, which was revised periodically.