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Ruling The Countryside

The document discusses the decline of indigo production in Bengal in the 19th century. Ryots, or peasants, were reluctant to grow indigo because they received very low prices, saw no profits, and were forced to grow it on fertile land. Eventually, indigo production collapsed due to ryots refusing to grow it further, supported by protests and zamindars. An investigation commission found faults with indigo planters and ended cultivation. Planters then left the region. The new Munro revenue system also posed problems by fixing revenues too high and causing villages to become deserted as peasants could not pay rents.

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shallu Gupta
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374 views

Ruling The Countryside

The document discusses the decline of indigo production in Bengal in the 19th century. Ryots, or peasants, were reluctant to grow indigo because they received very low prices, saw no profits, and were forced to grow it on fertile land. Eventually, indigo production collapsed due to ryots refusing to grow it further, supported by protests and zamindars. An investigation commission found faults with indigo planters and ended cultivation. Planters then left the region. The new Munro revenue system also posed problems by fixing revenues too high and causing villages to become deserted as peasants could not pay rents.

Uploaded by

shallu Gupta
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Ruling the countryside

2. Why were ryots reluctant to grow indigo?


Answer. The ryots were reluctant to grow indigo for the below-given reasons: a. They
were paid very low-prices for it b. The ryots never saw any profit accruing from the
indigo plantation c. Ryots were asked to grow indigo on the fertile parts of their land
by the planters which they were apprehensive about.
3. What were the circumstances which led to the eventual collapse of indigo
production in Bengal? Answer. The collapse of indigo production in Bengal was
caused by the following circumstances:
a. Ryots’ denied producing the indigo anymore
b. Protests started taking place by the peasants/ ryots supported by the zamindars.
c. Following the protests, the Indigo Commission was constituted by the government
which accepted the faults of the planters and asked the planters to stop the
cultivation.
d. Planters eventually moved out of the city
4. Give two problems which arose with the new Munro system of fixing revenue?
Answer. The new Munro system of fixing revenue posed two problems: a. The
revenue demand was fixed way too high for peasants to pay b. Peasants were unable
to pay the rent which culminated into villages getting deserted.
Do it on your own
1. Explain in brief about the Ryotwari System.
2. What were the consequences of the economic crisis that gripped Bengal?
3. Fill in the blanks:
a. Growers of woad in Europe saw ______ as a crop which would provide competition
to their earnings.
b. The Champaran movement was against ___________.
c.___________ lost interest in improving the land.
d. Mahalwari System was introduced by __________ in _________.
e. _____________ was introduced by Thomas Munro.
f. _________ is a plant of the temperate zones.
g. ________ is a crop of tropics.

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