State Of Affairs Of Peasants And Artisans

When writing about the history of the rural economy of early medieval India, it’s unavoidable to use the word “peasant” a thousand times, if not more, to do justice to the traits that serve as a solid basis for the huge structure of the familiar past, which we more accurately associate with history. History is a dull discipline that, although appealing to just a few dozen experts, attracts a million people when presented as a savoury dish. Because the early medieval Indian economy was inherently agricultural, and it was during this time that the artisans grew with their art, the role of the peasants and artisans is central to our study issue. 

Peasants in Medieval India 

Eighty-five per cent of India’s population resided in rural areas throughout the 16th and 17th centuries. Peasants or farmers made up the majority of the village’s population. Peasants were divided into three groups.

Khud-kasht(riyayati)

The governing body of the village community was made up of residential peasants who lived in their own village, owned their own land and equipment, and paid a reduced rate of land tax. In Maharashtra, they’re known as mirasdars, while in Rajasthan, they’re known as gharu-halas.

Pahi-kasht

These peasants were essentially strangers who farmed the rented land in a community by either remaining in the same village (residential pahi-kashta) or in neighbouring villages (non-residential pahi-kasht).

Muzarian (Raiyatis)

These were the people who belonged to the same community but lacked land or implements and were thus reliant on the Khud-kasht for their needs. Tenants-at-will and those with inherited tenant rights, known as paltis in Rajasthan, were the two classes in which Muzarians were divided. There were also labourers among the cultivators (majurs). There were also the service workers, such as the blacksmith, potter, and washerman. In Maharashtra, there were twelve of these service sectors, known as balutedars, that got a stipulated share (baluta) of the local product.

India’s rural economy was well-diversified, with a wide range of crops being grown. Cotton, indigo, chay (red dye), sugarcane, and oilseeds earned a higher rate of land income and had to be paid in cash, which is why they are known as cash crops or superior crops.The peasants not only switched from one crop to the next, but they also embraced new crops. In the 17th century, tobacco and maise were introduced. During the 18th century, potatoes and red chillies were popular.India also exported food grains, particularly rice and sugar, during this time. As long as the peasant paid the land revenue, he was not evicted from his land. Even though the peasant’s life was difficult, he had sufficient to eat and fulfil his basic needs.

Equation of Peasants with Zamindars

The Zamindari system was prevalent in medieval India. A significant portion of the zamindars possessed the ancestral right to collect land revenue from a number of villages in addition to owning the fields they cultivated. This was referred to as his talluqa or zamindari.The zamindars were paid a percentage of the land revenue for collecting it, which might be as high as 25% in some places. As long as the peasants who really cultivated the land paid the land income, they could not be evicted. As a result, the zamindars and peasants each possessed their own inherited land rights. Perhaps the statistics include the strength of the subordinate rajas as well. 

In the zamindari system, the zamindars and the peasants who lived in their zamindaris usually had deep caste, clan, or tribal ties. They possessed a lot of local knowledge regarding land production as well.Moreover, the zamindari system continued till the modern Indian era in the form of permanent settlement. In 1793, the East India Company established the permanent settlement in which the rajas and taluqdars were given the task of collecting rent from the peasants and remitting the money to the company. The sum to be paid was set in stone, meaning it would not be raised in the future. 

However, the permanent settlement caused issues. Officials from the company quickly realised that the zamindars were not investing in land improvement. The zamindars found it difficult to pay the fixed income since it was so high. Those who did not pay the income forfeited their zamindari.

Artisans in Medieval India

Rural craftsmen were sometimes indistinguishable from cultivators since they were only part-time artisans. Oil pressers, indigo and saltpetre craftsmen were among them. Their job was seasonal, and they frequently cultivated a small family plot of land. They went to the market and sold their excess produce.

Towns and villages were home to professional craftspeople. As commerce and manufacturing expanded, merchants used the dadni or putting-out system to exert control over skilled craftspeople by offering loans, raw materials, and other services. In such instances, the craftsmen tended to become wageworkers since the trader set the price of the raw materials and their labour.During this time, the master-craftsmen known as ustads developed economically and socially. They were dubbed “artificiers” by Abul Fazal, who ranked them second in society (below the nobles). The craftsmen were arranged on a case-by-case basis. Textile and leather industries were the two principal industries in which craftsmen were most active. New methods were not a problem for the Indian craftspeople.

Villages in India continued to practise traditional crafts while also developing localised industrial centres.

Conclusion

As a consequence of the extensive study of literary and secondary sources from early medieval northern India, we may conclude that landless peasants were assigned a subservient position, that they were attached to the soil, and that they were compelled to work according to the landlords’ demands. Professional artisans also lived in towns and villages. Merchants began to impose influence over skilled artisans by supplying loans, raw materials, and other services as trade and industry grew. Because the merchant fixed the price of the raw materials and their labour, the artisans tended to become wage labourers in such situations. This way, these two classes contributed to the rural economy of Medieval India.