Colonialism and the Countryside – Class 12 History Chapter 10 Notes

Meaning of Colonialism and Countryside

Class 12 History Chapter 10 Notes explore how British colonialism transformed India’s rural landscape. The word colonialism means slavery or a system based on exploitation, where a foreign power dominates and controls another nation for its benefit.
The term Dehat refers to villages or rural life. Therefore, Colonialism and Dehat together describe how British rule affected the Indian countryside and its people.

War of Plassey (1757)

The Battle of Plassey took place on 29 June 1757 at Plassey on the banks of the river Ganga in Nadia district, about 22 km south of Murshidabad.
It was fought between the British East India Company and Siraj-ud-Daulah, the Nawab of Bengal. Under Robert Clive’s leadership, the Company defeated the Nawab’s army and took control of Bengal — the first Indian region to fall under full British rule.

Tax Regime under British Rule

After conquering Bengal, the British created new systems of revenue collection. These included:

1. Istamrari Bandobast (Permanent Settlement – 1793)

Implemented by Lord Cornwallis, this Zamindari System covered 19% of the land in Bengal, Bihar, Orissa, Uttar Pradesh, Banaras, and North Karnataka.

2. Ryotwari System (1792)

Introduced in Madras, Bombay, and Assam, it covered 51% of colonial India’s land.

3. Mahalwadi System (1822)

Implemented in Central Provinces, Uttar Pradesh, and Punjab, covering about 30% of India’s land.

Bengal and Its Landlords

Bengal became the first region where the East India Company established full colonial control. Consequently, a new system of land ownership and taxation emerged, reshaping rural society and weakening traditional agrarian relations.

Permanent Settlement (Zamindari System)

The Permanent Settlement, introduced on 22 March 1793 by Lord Cornwallis, fixed land revenue permanently.
Under the Sunset Law, Zamindars had to pay tax by a fixed date each year. Failure led to land auctions. More than 75% of estates changed hands, causing deep social and economic disruptions.

Objectives

• Ensure stable and regular revenue for the Company.

• Revive Bengal’s rural economy after the 1770 famine.

• Encourage investment and strengthen trade.

• Create a loyal class of Zamindars to support British authority.

However, the British later removed their judicial and administrative powers.

Benefits to Zamindars

• Hereditary ownership of land.

• Guaranteed income and increased interest in agriculture.

• Strengthened British political control.

Negative Impact on Farmers

• Farmers lost their land rights and faced exploitation.

• High rents led to poverty and debt.

• Economic inequality increased between landlords and peasants.

Auction Incident in Burdwan (1797)

In 1797, the King of Burdwan’s property was auctioned due to unpaid revenue. Nearly 95% of the auctions were fake, as most buyers were his own agents. This exposed corruption within the Permanent Settlement system.

Rise of the Jotedars

A new class of wealthy peasants, called Jotedars, emerged in Bengal during the late 18th century. They owned land, traded, lent money, and resisted absentee Zamindars. Over time, they became dominant in rural Bengal.

The Fifth Report (1813)

The Fifth Report submitted to the British Parliament in 1813 highlighted corruption in the East India Company’s administration and revenue collection.
This report led to stricter regulations over the Company’s Indian operations.

Ryotwari System

Introduced in 1792 and expanded by Captain Munro in 1820, the Ryotwari System created a direct link between farmers (ryots) and the government. Each ryot paid revenue directly, but failure to pay resulted in land confiscation.

Effects

• Economic decline and farmer indebtedness.

• Nearly 18 million acres of land in Madras went uncultivated.

Mahalwadi System (1822)

Introduced by Lord Wellesley in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, this system made village headmen responsible for paying taxes.

Effects

• Heavy taxation caused poverty.

• Loss of land ownership.

• Contributed to the Revolt of 1857.

Spade and Plough: Hills and Forest People

Francis Buchanan described the Rajmahal Hills as isolated and dangerous.
The Paharias, or hill people, practiced jhum cultivation (shifting agriculture) and lived by hunting, gathering, and silkworm rearing. British policies promoting forest clearing for farming displaced them and caused conflicts with new settlers.

The Arrival of the Santhals

In the early 1800s, Santhals began settling in the Rajmahal Hills, encouraged by British officials. They cleared forests and established new villages.
By 1851, the Damin-i-Koh region had over 1,400 villages and 82,000 Santhals. As Santhals prospered, Paharias were pushed deeper into the hills.

Santhal Rebellion (1855–1856)

Led by Sidhu and Kanhu, the Santhal Rebellion opposed British oppression, landlords, and moneylenders.
The Santhals demanded land rights and independence. Though suppressed, the revolt led to the creation of the Santhal Pargana region and special laws to govern it.

Francis Buchanan

Francis Buchanan (later Buchanan Hamilton) was a Scottish doctor and surveyor who conducted detailed studies on Indian agriculture and economy from 1794 to 1815. His observations provide valuable insights into rural life under British rule.

Deccan Rebellion and Deccan Riots Commission (1875)

The Deccan Rebellion began on 12 May 1875 in Supa village, Pune. Farmers rose against exploitative moneylenders, burning debt records and looting shops.

Causes

• High land taxes and economic hardship.

• Exploitation by Marwari and Gujarati moneylenders.

• Decline in cotton exports after the American Civil War.

Leadership and Outcome

Led by Vasudev Balwant Phadke and supported by reformers like Justice M.G. Ranade, the movement forced the British to form the Deccan Riots Commission.
This led to the Deccan Agriculturists Relief Act (1879), which protected farmers from exploitation and restored lost lands.

Conclusion

The Class 12 History Chapter 10 Notes reveal how British colonial policies transformed India’s countryside.
Through systems like Permanent Settlement, Ryotwari, and Mahalwadi, rural India faced economic exploitation and social disruption. Peasant uprisings, such as the Santhal and Deccan rebellions, symbolized resistance against injustice and marked crucial chapters in India’s colonial history.

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