Colonialism and The Countryside Test - 3

Many groups in Britain opposed the monopoly held by the East India Company over trade with India and China because they aimed to open up the Indian market for British manufactures, thereby expanding trade opportunities and increasing profits for British merchants and manufacturers.

Export merchants and sahukars in Maharashtra decided to restrict their advances to peasants and demand repayment of outstanding debts due to declining demand for Indian cotton and sliding cotton prices. This economic downturn led them to adopt more cautious lending practices to protect their investments and mitigate financial risks.

Bengal's rural economy was in crisis during the 1770s due to factors such as famines and declining agricultural productivity.

The primary livelihood of the Paharias living around the Rajmahal hills was forest produce collection and shifting cultivation. This involved gathering resources from the forest and practicing agriculture through shifting cultivation techniques.

Zamindars collected rent from villages, paid the fixed revenue to the Company, and kept the surplus as their income.

After the Permanent Settlement, the East India Company restricted the autonomy of zamindars by bringing their courts under the supervision of Company-appointed collectors. This move undermined the traditional judicial authority of the zamindars and placed them under the control of Company officials. By controlling the judicial system, the Company exerted greater influence over the governance and administration of zamindari territories, thereby diminishing the autonomy of the zamindars.

The decline of Indian cotton exports to Britain after the Civil War in America was primarily due to decreased cotton production in America. The war disrupted cotton cultivation and export from the Southern states of the USA, which were major suppliers of raw cotton to Britain. As a result, Indian cotton faced less competition, but overall cotton supply to Britain decreased, impacting Indian cotton exports.

The revenue demand permanently would provide stability for both the state and entrepreneurs, ensuring a consistent flow of revenue.

Zamindars employed the fictitious sale strategy primarily to exhaust the state and other bidders at auctions, thereby preventing the actual sale of their estates and retaining control over their land.

Ryots during colonial rule became angered with moneylenders primarily due to the violation of customary norms by moneylenders. These violations often included exploitative lending practices, exorbitant interest rates, unfair terms, and harsh treatment, which led to resentment and anger among the ryots.