discuss the main feature pf the permanent settlement
Answers
The permanent settlement was mainly done to make the amount of land revenue permanent, certain and fixed, In Mughal era, zamindar was not owner of the land but only a collector of revenue. With permanent settlement vesting ownership rights in zamindar, he assumed a position that never been his before. The zamindars, become wealthier.
Further, zamindars were not the same old hereditary landholders, but anyone could become a zamindar provided he had good connection in East India Company or some other hack. Many servants of zamindars, petty clerks, agents, traders and merchants become the so called new the new zamindars.
By this settlement, the company was sure of getting fixed revenue. It also facilitated the easies method of collection of revenue through zamindars. Before this settlement, the company needed large establishment / officials to make annual five yearly assessments. The permanent settlement saved the company from these expenses. The official could e engaged in judicial or other works.
Permanent settlement was introduced in 1793 by Lord Cornwallis and covered around fifth of British territory in India, Northern Karnataka, Varanasi and some other areas. With the permanent settlement the auctioning of land (Izaredar system) came to at an end.
Salient features of permanent settlement
1. The zamindars of Bengal were recognised as the owner of land as long as they paid the revenue to the East India Company regularly.
2. The amount of revenue that the zamindars had to pay to the company was firmly fixed and would not be raised under any circumstances. In other words the government of the East India Company got 89% leaving the rest to the zamindars.
3. The ryots became tenants since they were considered the tillers of the soil.
4. This settlement took away the administrative and judicial functions of the zamindars.
Pressure on land and Absentee landlords: The same time was of increasing pressure on lands due to many reasons. Since work of zamindars was to collect and pay revenues at time, they started doing sub-feudalisation of their estate to some unofficial middlemen. Thus, a new crop of unofficial middlemen also grew between the zamindars and peasants. Zamindars would relocate to big cities like Calcutta to live a luxurious life. Zamindars thus turned into absentee landlords due to permanent settlement. This was exact opposite to the hitherto zamindari system prevailing since Mughal era. Old rural based zamindars were replaced by many new urban landlord, who obtained zamindari by hook or by crook to earn money as well as social distinction. The urban zamindari left their servants and against to collect revenue from peasants. This furthered the exploitation of the peasantry because agents / middleman would export almost all a peasant produced.
Impact on rural society of Bengal :The social outcome of permanent settlement in Bengal was that the society was divided into two mutually hostile classes of zamindars and tenants. While zamindars were favourite children of British. Imperialism, they were few in numbers in comparison to the other class of tenants. British won loyalty of a few at cost of many.