Colonialism and The Countryside Test - 2

The Raja of Burdwan avoided the possible auction of his estate by transferring a portion of it to his mother and engaging in manipulative tactics during auctions to retain control over his land.

Company-appointed collectors resisted zamindari authority and worked to weaken it. Instead of strengthening the authority of zamindars, the Company sought to assert its own control over revenue collection and administration in the territories. By bringing zamindari courts under their supervision and implementing policies to curb the power of zamindars, the Company aimed to establish its dominance and exert greater influence over the governance of the regions under its control.

Zamindars employed the strategy of fictitious sale and manipulation of auctions to survive the pressures of high revenue demands and potential auctions of their estates. This involved deceitful tactics such as arranging fake sales of their estates to allies or family members to avoid losing their land through auction.

After the Permanent Settlement, Rulers and taluqdars of Bengal were classified as zamindars and were responsible for paying the fixed revenue demand to the state.

Over 75% of the zamindaris changed hands after the Permanent Settlement came into effect.

They were rich peasants who controlled vast areas of land and exercised power over poor villagers. Jotedars were described as rich peasants who controlled vast areas of land and exercised power over poor villagers, playing a significant role in Bengal's rural economy.

During the early decades after the Permanent Settlement, zamindars faced challenges in paying the revenue demand primarily because of the invariable revenue system. This system meant that regardless of the harvest outcome, the revenue demand remained fixed. So, even in years of poor agricultural productivity or crop failure, zamindars were still required to pay the same amount of revenue. This inflexibility placed a significant financial burden on zamindars and contributed to their inability to meet the revenue demands imposed upon them.

The emergence of jotedars in Bengal's villages was primarily due to the decline of zamindari authority. As the power and influence of zamindars waned, particularly after the British land reforms and other changes in the socio-economic landscape, jotedars rose to prominence. Jotedars were essentially intermediary landlords who gained control over land and resources in rural areas where the authority of zamindars had weakened. They filled the vacuum left by the diminishing power of zamindars and played a significant role in local governance and agricultural activities.

The emergence of jotedars in Bengal's rural society weakened the traditional authority of zamindars and redistributed power among rich peasants, leading to a shift in the power dynamics within rural communities.

Outside purchasers of zamindari estates sometimes faced resistance from locals through physical attacks carried out by the former zamindar's men. This resistance aimed to deter or expel the new purchasers and maintain the status quo of local power dynamics.