Question

what did the british do to reduce the landed aristocracy to poverty?

Answer 1

The English East India Company after suppressing the revolt of 1857 and taking the authority of Bengal increased land revenue. Moreover, the British government seized around 20,000 properties of the native Indians that were rent free. The sudden increase in the demand for land revenue drove many farmers into indebtedness or into marketing their estates. The British government replaced the traditional landlords with the merchants and money-lenders. Thus the tradition landlords lost their importance and the proud nobles were reduced to beggary and bondage.