Peasant Movements in the 19th Century

Several peasant movements in the 19th century occurred in India after successive British government’s economic policies led to the loss of indigenous handicraft businesses. These policies resulted in land ownership changes, land overpopulation, and rising debt among India’s peasants.  This resulted in peasant uprisings throughout the colonial period, as well as the emergence of post-colonial peasant movements. 

Indigo Rebellion (1859-62)

 Planting indigo was very profitable for the Britishers, during the company rule because there was a huge demand for blue dye in Europe. So, the British landowners urged  Indian villagers to cultivate Indigo rather than food crops to boost their profits.

Farmers were dissatisfied with indigo production because the remuneration for growing Indigo was very low. Also, Indigo wasn’t a particularly profitable venture for the peasants. The Plantation of Indigo made the soil less fertile and traders and middlemen exploited them. 

Hence the peasants started to revolt in Bengal. 

Press and missionaries supported the cause of farmers.

However, the Indigo revolt was a campaign against the European indigo planters and merchants, and not against the British colonial rule. According to Subhash Bhattacharya, “movement began and ended as a struggle against the planters.”

In his publication ‘The Hindu Patriot,’ Bengali journalist Harish Chandra Mukherjee portrayed the situation of Bengal’s peasantry.

In his play ‘Nil Darpan,’ Bengali writer and playwright Dinabandhu Mitra highlighted the oppression of Indian peasants. It was first published in 1860, .

His play sparked widespread outrage, prompting the East India Company to outlaw it. In November 1860, the government established an Indigo Commission and filed a motion declaring it unlawful to force peasants to plant indigo. This was the peasants’ first win.

Pabna Movement (the 1870s-1880s)

 Landlords in Eastern Bengal forcibly collected rentals and land taxes, which led to the exploitation of the poor peasants.

Act X of 1859 also made it impossible for peasants to get Occupancy Rights.

Tenants who had owned the land for 12 years and paid their rents were granted occupancy rights under this Act. The zamindars, on the other hand, did not want it to happen. Due to nonpayment, peasants were frequently removed from their land. Landlords were known to engage in violent actions to earn greater wealth. The peasants were suffering from starvation in the 1870s due to a fall in jute output.

Yusufshahi Pargana in the Pabna district of Patna (East Bengal) saw the creation of an Agrarian League in May 1873. 

There were rent strikes, finances were obtained, and the campaign extended across Patna and other East Bengal districts.

Some farmers attempted to establish local authorities with an “army” to combat the zamindari “lathials”. The rebel army was placed under the command of deputies

When the actions of the Pabna Raiyats’ League, endangered public order, the government interfered to restore order. Sir George Campbell,( Lieutenant Governor of Bengal) proclaimed on July 4, 1873, guaranteeing British government support for farmers over excessive zamindar demands They advised the zamindars to pursue their claims through legal avenues alone. The rebellion ended amid the police force and subsequent famine in 1873–74.

Deccan Riots (1875)

The Deccan peasants (Maharashtra) revolted in 1875, against the Gujarati and Marwari money lenders.

Peasants had suffered the burden of heavy taxes under the ryotwari system.   In 1867, the taxes were increased by 50%.

The peasants boycotted the moneylenders in 1874.

They declined to purchase from the moneylenders’ stores and continue to farm their land.

Moneylenders were rejected, service by barbers, washermen, and shoemakers.

This social boycott expanded to Poona, Solapur,  Ahmednagar, and Satara, resulting in agrarian riots and systematic attacks on moneylenders’ homes and businesses.

The movement was successfully suppressed by the government. In 1879, they passed the  Deccan Agriculturists Relief Act as a settlement measure.

Importance of Peasant Movements in 19th Century

Even if the revolts did not intend to overthrow British authority in India, they did raise consciousness among Indians. As a result, Peasants had a strong sense of their legal rights and used them to protect themselves both within and outside of the courts.

They felt compelled to unite and rebel against exploitation and injustice, which sparked further revolts. These revolutions opened the way for subsequent upheavals. The Punjab Sikh Wars and, then the Revolt of 1857 were a product of the peasant revolt.  

The Peasant Movement could unify all elements of the peasantry, even landless labourers. Their Voices were heard because they were battling actively for their own needs.

Peasant demands were met during all the peasant movements of the 19th century: the Indigo revolt,  Pabna movement, and Deccan riots.

The peasant movements of the 19th century led to the encouragement of Post-Independence Reforms.  These movements helped to establish an environment conducive to post-independence agricultural reforms, such as the elimination of Zamindari.

They weakened the landed class’s influence, contributing to a drastic change and transformation of the  agricultural structure 

Conclusion

The peasant movements in the 19th century paved the pathway to future revolts in the 20th century, which ultimately led to India’s independence in 1947. Though the peasant movement wasn’t specifically targeted towards the end of British colonial rule in India, it is of significant importance. The Indigo revolution, Pabna movements and Deccan riots contributed to the improved condition of the peasantry which was under oppression for a very long time.