Ryotwari system UPSC

Ryotwari System

Ryotwari system was first introduced in Malabar, Coimbatore, Madras and, Madurai by Sir Thomas Munro. Subsequently, this system was extended to Maharashtra, East Bengal, parts of Assam and Coorg.

Main reasons behind adoption of  Ryotwari system:

1. In permanent settlement areas, land Revenue was fixed. Over the years, agriculture prices/exports increased but government’s income did not increase. (Because middlemen-zamindars pocketed the surplus)

2. Zamindars were oppressive which resulted in frequent agrarian revolts in the permanent settlement areas.

3. In Bihar, Bengal, there existed Zamindar/feudal lords since the times of Mughal administration. But Madras, Bombay, Assam did not have Zamindars/feudal lords with large estates. So, it was hard to ‘outsource’ work, even if British wanted.

4. In case of Ryotwari there is no middlemen for tax collection thus farmer has to pay less taxes which increased their purchasing power that resulted in increased demand for readymade British products in India.

Consequently, all subsequent land tax or revenue settlements made by the colonial rulers were temporary settlements made directly with the peasant, or ‘ryot’ (e.g., the ryotwari settlements). This model was based on English yeomen farmers.

Features of Ryotwari system:

1. Government claimed the property rights to all the land, but allotted it to the cultivators on the condition that they pay taxes. In other words, it established a direct relation between the landholder and the government.

2. Farmers could use, sell, mortgage, bequeath, and lease the land as long as they paid their taxes. In other words Ryotwari system gave a proprietary right to the landholders.

3. If they did not pay taxes, they were evicted

4. Taxes were only fixed in a temporary settlement for a period of thirty years and then revised.

5. Government had retained the right to enhance land revenue whenever it wanted.

6. Provided measures for revenue relief during famines but they were seldom applied in real life situation.

Consequences of Ryotwari system:

1. Farmers had to pay revenue even during drought and famines, else he would be evicted.

2. It amounted to replacement of large number of zamindars by one giant zamindar called East India Company.

3. Although ryotwari system aimed for direct Revenue settlement between farmer and the government but over the years, landlordism and tenancy became widespread. Because textile weavers were unemployed so they started working as tenant farmers for other rich farmers. In many districts, more than 2/3 of farmland was leased.

4. Since Government insisted on cash revenue, farmers resorted to growing cash crops instead of food crops. And cash crop needed more inputs which resulted in more loans and indebtedness.

5. After end of American civil war, cotton export declined but government didn’t reduce the revenue. As a result most farmers defaulted on loans and land was transferred from farmers to moneylenders.