Before the Battle of Plassey the East India Company was just a trading body. Its structure and administration was suitable for the needs of trade and commerce.
STRUCTURE OF GOVERNMENT
In 1765, the East India Company had full
control over Bengal. They were not interested in making any change in
administration. Their only desire was to carry on their profitable trade. The
East India Company was only a commercial body but it tried to establish
political power in India. The activities of the East India Company created
parliamentary rivalry in Britain, since the British government forced the
company to pay tributes. The financial position of the company had gone from
bad to worse because the company began to take part in politics. In 1773, a commissioner
was appointed to inquire about the financial conditions of the company. When
they came to know about the poor financial conditions the parliament decided to
give a loan and an act was passed known as the ‘Regulating Act’.
THE REGULATING ACT *****
The Regulating Act brought about a radical
change. According to this act, certain terms and conditions were laid down.
They are:
-
The
Board of directors was to consist of 24 members elected for a period of 4
years
-
Bengal
had to be under the governor general and the council of 4 members. They were
appointed by a board of directors.
-
Supreme
Court was established with 4 European judges who were appointed to administer
justice to the Europeans
-
The
governor general received a fixed salary of 24 thousand pounds per year
-
No
agent of the company would carry out personal trade without required
permission.
DISADVANTAGES OF THE REGULATING ACT
-
Since
the power was in the hands of the governor general of Bengal, he had to consult
the members before the decision to be taken. This added to a delay in the
administration of the Company.
-
The
governors of Bombay and Madras were not free to take decisions.
-
It
failed to define the jurisdiction power of the 4 English judges of Calcutta.
-
Since
no agent was allowed to carry on trade, it brought down their income and this
led to corruption.
PITTS INDIA ACT 1784
-
The
board of control with 6 commissioners were established for the affairs of
India.
-
A
council was established in England with a power to send orders from the board
of control to the company
-
The
act placed the government of India in the hands of the governor general and a
council of 5 members.
-
The
governors of Bombay and Madras were brought under the control of the governor
general of Bengal
-
The
governor general had no power to sign or break any treaty without the
permission from the board of control.
DRAIN OF WEALTH
The Indian wealth was very systematically
drained out and sent to England. They collected revenue from Bengal and
exported goods from India to England. Moreover, the company collected payment
from India, merchants, zamindars and the common people. Indians lost all their
wealth without getting any thing in return.
MEANS OF TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATION
-
The
Indians followed a very old system of transport. They traveled by bullock
carts, horses and camels
-
The
British built roads and introduced steamships so that it became easy for them
to carry on their trade.
-
A
Grand Trunk Road was built from Calcutta to Delhi
-
Railways
were constructed so that raw materials could be transported from place to
place. The first railway connecting Bombay with Thane was laid in 1853.
Another railway line was build from Calcutta to Ranijang in 1854.
-
Post
and telegraph system was introduced by the British
-
The
postage stamp was introduced by Lord Dalhousie.
THE PERMANENT SETTLEMENT
In 1765, the British Indian Company acquired
control over the revenue of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa. Agriculture was the main
occupation of the Indian people and about 90%of the population lived in the villages.
The only source of revival was the land. Lord Cornwallis introduced the
permanent land revenue settlement and its important features are as follows:
-
The
Zamindars and the revenue collectors were converted to the landlords
-
The
right to the ownership of land was made hereditary. The farmers became tenants
and their condition was miserable since they were left at the mercy of the
landlords.
-
The
zamindars were to give 10/11 of the rent which they collected from the farmers
and they were allowed to keep 1/11th for themselves.
ADVANTAGES OF THE SETTLEMENT
-
It benefited the zamindars
-
The
value of the land increased
-
The
zamindaars changed interest on invested land
-
It
credited a class of royal zamindars
DISADVANTAGES OF THE SETTLEMENT
-
Many
zamindars collected revenue from the farmers even if there were calamities
-
The
interest of the farmers were ignored and the zamindars enjoyed the profit
-
The
zamindars lived a luxurious life.
THE RYOTWARI SYSTEM
The establishment of British rule in South and
south west India brought about new problems of settlements. The cultivators
payed revenue to the headman but officials like Reed and Manore recommended
that the settlement should be made directly with the actual cultivators. This
system was known as the Ryotwari System. They did not benefit the farmers
because they realized that they were government tenants.
MAHALWARI
The change in the zamindari system was
introduced in North West Province, parts of central India and Punjab. Under
this system the revenue settlements was to be made, village by village. It was
collected by the head of the family who claimed to be the landlord fo the
village.
LORD WILLIAM BENTIK
He was born in 1774 in a rich family in
England. He came to India as a governor of madras. He believed in the welfare
of the people and introduced policies in such a way as to improve the social
structure of the society. He introduced a number of reforms.
-
Abolition
of Sati – in the early Vedic Age the position of women was high, but in the
later vedic period it deteriorated to child marriage and sati. This system
prevailed among the upper caste. Bentik introduced the Anti-Sati law and
rescued women from ending their life.
-
Abolition
of infanticide and child sacrifice – this practice was in existence among the Rajput
tribes who considered infant daughters and bad and Lord Bentik took severe
measures to put an end to it.
-
Freedom
of Press – according to the press act no person could publish any article
freely. Lord Bentik removed the ban imposed on the press and the people got
their freedom to express themselves freely.
-
Suppression
of the thugs – Indian princes who had excepted subsidiary alliance were forced
to do away with unemployed soldiers and these unemployed soldiers became
dacoits and scattered, plundering and killing travelers in the forest. Lord
Bentik appointed William Seeman to crush the decoits.
FILL IN THE BLANKS
In the year 1765 East India Company had
control over Bengal
The East India Company acquired the Dewari
Rights of Bengal
Lord Cornwallis introduced the
permanent land revenue settlement
Lord William Bentik introduced the social
reforms in India
In Rajasthan they practiced the killing
of girl child
Pitt’s introduced an act called Pitt’s India
Act
Battle of Plassey was fought in the year
1757
Lord Cornwallis became the governor
general of Lord Clive
The Regulating Act was passed in the year 1773.
Pitts India Act was passed in 1784
Lord Wellesley established the court
of Fourth Williams at Calcutta for the education of the young recruits to the civil
service.
The Battle of Miami and Dobo was fought in the
year 1842-43
17 part of Karachi was developed at Sind
The first railway line was started in the year 1853.
Lord Cornwallis laid the foundation of
the civil service in India
In 1800 Lord Wellesley set up an
institution to train the new recruits in the civil service
The charter act of 1853 laid the
foundation for the creation of high courts in Bombay, Calcutta and Madras.
The codification of law by the commissioner
under Lord Macaulay resulted in the Indian Penal Code.
GIVE ONE WORD FOR
Dual government – Robert Clive
Meaning of Devari Rights – collecting revenue
and administering civil justice
Meaning of Sati – Burning of bride on the
funeral fire of her husband
Started a college at Calcutta – Lord Wellesley
William Seeman – appointed to crush the thugs
MATCH THE COLUMNS
Industrial Revolution – started in England
Postal stamp was introduced by – Lord Dalhousie
Freedom of Press – Lord Bantik
Subsidy – high court for India
ANSWER IN ONE SENTENCE
What do you mean by Dual Government?
Dual government means double system of
government
What do you mean by Regulating Act?
According to this act direct relation between
the British crown and the company were made.
What do you mean by Drain of Wealth?
Collection of taxes from Bengal were by India
was drained of its wealth.
Give one feature of the land revenue
settlements.
The Zamindars were to give 10/11th
of the rent which they collected from the framer and was allowed to keep 1/11th
for themselves.
Give the meaning of Mhalwars.
It is a revenue settlement made by the village
Explain the term ‘Rule of Law’.
It was based on the custom of each community
and for the criminal law the Islamic code was enforced.
Who is regarded as the father of Indian post
and telegraph?
Lord Dalhousie is regarded as the father of
Indian post and telegraph.
Who stopped the practice of Sati
Lord William Bentik
When was this system banned?
The Practice of Sati was banned in the year
1829 after Raja Ram Mohan Roy approached Lord Bentik and asked him to take a
step to stop this system
Name a famous social reformer from England
Lord William Bentik
When did the first railway in India start?
The first railway in India started in 1853
What is meant by Dewani?
It is the power of collecting revenue form the
provinces of Bengal and administrating civil justice
Who were the Mansabdars?
The Mansabdars were military officers who could
exercise civil power.
Till which year did the Pitts India Act last?
It lasted till the mutiny of 1857
Name the first Indian to enter the ICS
Examination
Surendranath Banerjee
What was the impact of Cornwallis code on administration
The impact was that he had to dismiss some high
officers in order to do away with corruption.
Who were the thugs?
They were soldiers who lost their jobs and
found a new way of living.
STATE IN WHICH YEAR THE FOLLOWING EVENTS TOOK
PLACE
Regulating Act – 1773
Pitts Act – 1784
Cornwallis code – 1793
Charter act – 1853
Abolition of Sati – 1829
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