Scribd
Upload
151 views

Changing Modes of Production in Indian Agriculture

The document summarizes the changing modes of production in Indian agriculture over four phases: 1) The traditional phase was based on jajmani relations between castes and villages, with little surplus generation and no private land ownership. 2) During the colonial phase, the Zamindari system introduced private land ownership and semi-feudal relations between landowners and bonded laborers. Agriculture shifted towards cash crops. 3) Post-independence reforms challenged feudal structures through land reforms and green revolution programs, though impact was uneven. 4) The current phase features both capitalistic and semi-feudal modes of production coexisting, with contractual and commercialized agriculture resulting in issues like

Uploaded by

abhijit488
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
151 views

Changing Modes of Production in Indian Agriculture

The document summarizes the changing modes of production in Indian agriculture over four phases: 1) The traditional phase was based on jajmani relations between castes and villages, with little surplus generation and no private land ownership. 2) During the colonial phase, the Zamindari system introduced private land ownership and semi-feudal relations between landowners and bonded laborers. Agriculture shifted towards cash crops. 3) Post-independence reforms challenged feudal structures through land reforms and green revolution programs, though impact was uneven. 4) The current phase features both capitalistic and semi-feudal modes of production coexisting, with contractual and commercialized agriculture resulting in issues like

Uploaded by

abhijit488
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 2

Changing modes of production in Indian Agriculture

 Can be understood in 4 phases


o Traditional Phase
 Jajmani relations based on ritual duties between the different sections of the
society on a land which was owned by the whole village or community.
 Governed by caste considerations; no or minimum surplus generation
 Considered non-exploitative as returns in lieu of service was determined by
Panchayat and nature of roles of each section were clear.
 Feudal lord was tax collector and not owner of land
o Colonial Phase
 Z,M,R
 Semi-Feudalism as advocated by Amit Bahaduri
 Feudal features
o Conception of private ownership of land in light of Z,M,R giving
rise to land-owning class.
o Transfer of land as well as duties was hereditary.
o Traditional Jajmani relations were replaced by bonded labor
relations and laborers were forced to work in the land of
Zamindars.
 Semi-Feudal features
o The production in agriculture especially in light of demand of
cotton, and high rent demand began to shift towards cash crops
and commercialization of produce, unlike feudalism in which
agriculture is not considered a profitable activity
o In some areas, even the land owner used to cultivate the land
himself and this combined the feudal lord and serf into one.
 As Wiser puts it “One serves the other”.
o Post independence pre liberalization phase
 Semi-feudalistic features continued; however state-sponsored efforts to change
its exploitative nature.
 Introduction of land reforms, agriculture support programs, green revolution,
development of formal credit institutions in rural areas challenged the
traditional structure of agriculture which was characterized by middleman,
bonded labor and exploitative relations between serf and landowner.
 Was not fully effective especially in dryland areas but did challenge the feudal
character of Indian agriculture.
o Post independence post liberalization phase
 Capitalistic mode of production in some areas while semi-feudalism in some
areas. As KL Sharma puts it, both these elements interacted with each other to
form a semi-capitalistic mode of production.
 Contractual relations based on profit motive
 Commercialization of agriculture
 Led to the growth of migrant agriculture labor aka Footloose labor
o Low wages, no security, poor living and working conditions
 Migration has led to feminization of agriculture labor force in rural
areas with men migrating to urban areas for better employment
opportunities.
 Competition from MNCs
 After decades of state support and protection, Indian farmers have
been exposed to competition as well as new practices and issues
brought forth by MNCs like Monsanto, Reliance etc.
 Practice of Contract Farming, issue of agriculture subsidies in WTO,
mechanization of agriculture

You might also like