The agrarian system of Moslem India

Bibliographic data

Monograph

Identifikator:: 1804119261

URN:: urn:nbn:de:zbw-retromon-188010

Document type:: Monograph

Author:: Moreland, William Harrison http://d-nb.info/gnd/172263670

Title:: The agrarian system of Moslem India

Edition:: 2. ed. Reissue (d. Ausg. Cambridge) 1929; [Reprint]

Place of publication:: Delhi

Publisher:: Oriental Books, Munshiram Manoharlal

Year of publication:: 1968

Scope:: XVII, 296 S.

Digitisation:: 2022

Collection:: Economics Books

Usage license:: Get license information via the feedback formular.

Chapter

Document type:: Monograph

Structure type:: Chapter

Title:: Chapter VI. The last phase in Northern India

Collection:: Economics Books

170 THE AGRARIAN SYSTEM OF MOSLEM INDIA money in the form of either crop-rates, soil-rates, or lump- rents. Crop-rates were on exactly the same lines as Akbar’s system, a fixed sum per bigha, varying with the nature of the crop; but the schedules were much less elaborate, crops of approximately equal value being grouped together, so that the schedule for a particular village might show only rice, other grains, sugarcane, cotton, and garden-crops. Soil-rates were altogether independent of the crop, and were presumably based on the peasants’ intimate knowledge of the capacity of the land they cultivated. Lump rents were fixed sums for a fixed area, payable whether the whole area was cultivated or not, that is to say, the holdings on which they were paid were what I have called Contract-holdings. In all three cases there were customary allowances on account of crop-failure, an obvious necessity when the charges were pitched so high. Throughout the provinces then cash-payments were the rule, and the Headman could bring before the members of his Brotherhood a sort of annual or seasonal cash account, showing what had to be paid out for revenue and other expenses, what would be received from peasants outside the Brotherhood or other sources, and what balance re- mained to be realised from the members. This balance was then assessed on the individual members according to the method customary in the village, sometimes on the season's yield, sometimes on each plough, but usually on the area sown: and the Headman had to collect this assessment in order to complete the necessary pavments, and balance his account. It is clear from the records of the period that the authorities who claimed revenue attempted to secure the largest possible sum, which would represent the economic rent of the village; but their attempt was not always suc- cessful, and in cases where the Headmen could retain a portion of the economic rent, it would be distributed among the Brotherhood on the system just described, in the form of a reduction in the Demand charged on their cultivation. When this occurred, it was a matter of great practical importance to conceal it, for, if it became known that the Brotherhood was making a profit, the Demand on the

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