Revolts In The Countryside – The Bombay Deccan

In the Bombay Deccan countryside during the colonial period, significant changes were witnessed, notably through peasant revolts that erupted as expressions of anger and dissatisfaction. These revolts offer insights into the grievances of the rural populace, shedding light on their hidden experiences. One such revolt occurred in 1875, originating in Supa, a market village in present-day Pune district.

The revolt targeted shopkeepers and moneylenders, with ryots (peasants) demanding the surrender of account books and debt bonds, which they subsequently burnt. This pattern repeated in neighboring areas, leading to the terrorization of moneylenders who fled their villages, leaving behind property.

The underlying causes of such revolts are rooted in agrarian changes under colonial rule, notably the imposition of new revenue systems. Unlike the Permanent Settlement in Bengal, the Bombay Deccan saw temporary revenue settlements. Influenced by economic theories like David Ricardo’s, colonial officials aimed to maximize land revenue, leading to the introduction of the ryotwari settlement, where revenue was directly settled with the ryot.

However, these revenue demands often proved exorbitant, driving peasants into debt. The situation worsened with falling agricultural prices and a devastating famine in the 1830s. Peasants became increasingly indebted, relying on moneylenders for survival. While there were brief periods of economic recovery, such as the cotton boom in the 1860s, prosperity eluded most peasants who found themselves sinking deeper into debt.

The cotton boom initially provided access to credit for ryots, but as the boom subsided and cotton prices fell, credit dried up, exacerbating peasants’ plight. Moreover, the increase in revenue demands further burdened them, pushing them deeper into debt. The refusal of moneylenders to extend loans intensified ryots’ resentment, as they perceived moneylenders’ actions as unjust and exploitative.

Moneylenders’ practices, such as charging exorbitant interest rates and manipulating laws to their advantage, further fueled ryots’ grievances. The introduction of deeds and bonds, symbolic of the oppressive system, deepened peasants’ distrust of the colonial regime. Peasants associated their suffering with these legal instruments, which they often signed without understanding, fearing the written word but compelled by necessity.

Overall, the peasant revolts in the Bombay Deccan and the underlying grievances highlight the impact of colonial policies on rural communities, particularly in exacerbating debt, dependence on moneylenders, and perceptions of injustice and exploitation.

Chapter 9 of the Class 12 History is Colonialism and the Countryside which discusses British Colonialism and its impacts on the countryside. The chapter includes so many subparts like Colonialism, Colonial Policies and Land Revenue, Transformation of Agrarian Structure, Social Impact of Colonialism, and Resistance and Rebellion. Colonialism is a policy where a dominating country attempts to gain the political and economic power of another country.

In this article, we are going to discuss Class 12 History Chapter 9: Colonialism and the Countryside in detail.