Bengal Famine Of 1770

The Bengal Famine of 1770 affected the Bengal regions and brought a drastic negative impact on the lives of 30 million Indians. This famine had occurred when Bengal had a dual governance format. This was after the grant of Diwani (earning rights for the collection of revenue) to the East India company in the Bengal region. The Mughal Emperor of Delhi gave this in Bengal. But prior to it, they tried to control the administration or the nizamat in Bengal.

Understanding the Background of the Bengal Famine of 1770

When the British arrived in India, they came with an economic agenda that was very ruthless and did not have any empathy for the Indians. Out of India’s numerous famines due to the British, the worst one was the Bengal Famine of 1770, which many other severe ones later followed. The background of the famine can be understood in the following points:

No empathy and taxation policies

Earlier, when indigenous rulers were in the country, they had a quick recovery from such disasters. However, due to the delayed arrival of monsoons, combined with natural resources being exploitative for the gain of the Britishers, the famines in Bengal took a drastic negative turn. Further, instead of having empathy, the British were very frustrated with the inconvenience of the policies associated with taxes that were brought due to the famines. 

Crop Failure and the smallpox epidemic

There was a crop failure that occurred in the autumn of 1768, which, combined with a smallpox epidemic, were the key reasons which led to the manifestation of the famine. The British East India company had implemented a tax collection policy against a lack of trained administrators, and its uncertainty worsened the famine’s impact.

Lack of grains offered to peasants by merchants

Other reasons that added to the famine’s pressure are that the grain merchants stopped offering the due as access to the farmers and peasants; while the export mechanism for grains to the other areas was intact, the company kept buying huge portions of the produce for the purpose of feeding the army and their servants. The Indian Gomasthas formed a monopoly on the production of grains locally. 

Death due to diseases

The summer of 1770 witnessed the death of people in every single place. Even after the monsoon season, which brought along rains, it also led to a huge number of widespread diseases to which many Indians fell victim. There were villages that were overgrown. There was uneven depopulation in areas that severely impacted North Bengal while having a lesser effect on central and eastern Bengal. The eastern Bengal area also showed signs of quicker recovery.

Impact of Bengal Famine of 1770

Below listed are the points which highlight the effect of the famine-

Rising mortality due to illnesses and hunger: 

The combination of malnutrition and disease spread has resulted in higher death rates. This led to malnutrition, which damaged the immune system, decreasing the body’s ability to combat illnesses, resulting in infection-related mortality.

Social system disruption and widespread infections: 

Due to the breakdown and disruption of social systems, there are massive migration and inadequate sanitation and water disposal facilities. This resulted in a direct correlation between the increase of infectious illnesses.

Women and children’s migration: 

As a result of the famine, men began to sell their properties to join the army. As a result, the ladies and their children were evicted. They continued their search for relief from one location to the next.

Exploitation:

During the famine, women were subjected to increased exploitation. However, before the famine, there was sexual exploitation of the lower castes and destitute people, which was often socially sanctioned.

Significant Drop in hygiene standards: 

The famine resulted in worse sanitary conditions, which significantly impacted hygiene standards. Clothes were scarce due to the famine. All of the remains were dumped in bodies of water, lowering the quality of drinking water. Due to extensive migration, many utensils and other facilities required for food preparation and the maintenance of a minimum level of living were abandoned.

Conclusion

Under the British administration, India had a self-sufficient economy that was restricted. As the British transferred the Indian populace to agriculture as a method of making a living, the native artists and their workmanship and the entire industry suffered a significant loss. As the population became more reliant on agriculture, the reliance on monsoons grew, resulting in widespread poverty, droughts, and the Bengal Famine of 1770.