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Ryotwari System 1820, Founder, Meaning, Features, Drawbacks

The Ryotwari System, also known as the Munro System, was introduced by Sir Thomas Munro in Tamil Nadu in 1820. Check the history, meaning, features and drawbacks of the Ryotwari System 1820.
authorImageParul Rishi8 Apr, 2024
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Ryotwari System 1820

Ryotwari System: In British India, a different way of collecting money from farmers called the Ryotwari System was introduced after the Permanent Settlement. This system was brought in by Thomas Munro and it changed how money was collected. Instead of going through landlords, the government could directly get payments from the farmers, who were called 'ryots.'

During the late 1700s, the Ryotwari Settlement began. It let farmers have control over what they cultivated on their land. To know more about how this system started and what it was like keep reading the article.

Ryotwari System 1820

The Ryotwari System was a way to collect taxes on land in British India, especially in the southern part of the country. It was brought in to replace permanent settlements. Thomas Munro introduced this system to gather taxes from farmers directly. Instead of dealing with landlords, the government collected revenue from the cultivators themselves, known as the 'ryot'. This system started in the later part of the 18th century and gave cultivators more control over their lands. It changed how taxes were collected in India during British rule. To learn more about who introduced the Ryotwari System and its features, check out the article below.

Ryotwari System in India

The word 'Ryot' means farmers who cultivate the land. In 1820, Sir Thomas Munro introduced the Ryotwari System, a way to collect land taxes directly from these farmers. This system aimed to remove intermediaries. Under this system, farmers had the direct responsibility to pay taxes to the British and had ownership of their land. Munro implemented this approach, making more than half of the British Indian cultivators directly pay these taxes.

Ryotwari System Founder

The Ryotwari System was set up by Captain Alexander Read and Sir Thomas Munro. It began in 1820 in Tamil Nadu. Munro, who was the Governor of the Madras Presidency from 1819 to 1826, introduced this system in Tamil Nadu. Munro started as a soldier from Scotland. Afterward, he joined the East India Company Army and became a significant figure in the British administration.

Ryotwari System Features

The Ryotwari system was a significant departure from traditional land revenue systems in British India. Initially implemented in provinces like Madras, Bombay, Assam, and Coorg, it revolutionised the relationship between land and the cultivators. In this system:

Land Ownership

Farmers or cultivators were recognized as direct landowners. They possessed complete authority over their land, allowing them the freedom to make decisions regarding their property. This included the ability to sell, mortgage, or gift their land as they deemed fit.

Taxation

The government imposed taxes directly on the cultivators. Sir Thomas Munro highlighted that these taxes were applied based on the land and had to be paid by the peasants themselves.

Variable Tax Rates

Tax rates varied according to the type of land. For instance, dry land might be taxed at 50%, while wetland could face a higher rate of 60%. These rates weren't fixed and could fluctuate, often increasing with time.

Uncertain Tax Structure

The fluctuating nature of tax rates led to uncertainty. If cultivators failed to pay their taxes promptly, the government had the authority to evict them from their land, causing significant distress among farmers.

Absence of Middlemen

Unlike the Zamindari system that involved intermediaries, the Ryotwari system bypassed middlemen, allowing direct interaction between the government and the cultivators.

Cash Payments and Money Lenders

Taxes had to be paid in cash, which posed challenges for cultivators. High-interest money lenders took advantage of this situation, providing loans at exorbitant rates, creating financial burdens for farmers.

Dynamic System Relationships

The Ryotwari, Mahalwari, and Zamindari systems existed simultaneously, showcasing a diversity of land revenue systems operating in different regions under British rule.

Ryotwari System in Bombay Presidency

The Ryotwari System in Bombay had its roots in Gujarat. Initially, the British government collected taxes from 'Desais,' who were village leaders. However, this didn't fulfill their needs, so they introduced the Ryotwari System. This system meant collecting land revenue directly from cultivators. In 1818, after taking over Peshwa's territory in Bombay, they implemented the Ryotwari System. It was overseen by Elphinstone, a follower of Munro. Under this system in Bombay, peasants were obligated to pay revenue, and the government consistently raised these rates over time.

Ryotwari System in Madras

In 1820, when Sir Thomas Munro governed Madras, he brought in the Ryotwari Settlement. It was one of the first places where this method was put into action. The idea behind this new way of collecting land revenue was simple: the British wanted to skip any middlemen and collect revenue straight from the cultivators, the people who worked the land. The main reason for starting this kind of revenue collection was that the Madras government had been short of funds for a while. So, logically, this direct revenue seemed like a good idea. Madras proposed this plan to the British Parliament, but it got rejected. As a result, they put in place a temporary version of the Ryotwari Settlement.

Difference Between Ryotwari System and Mahalwari System

After the Zamindari system ended, new ways to collect taxes emerged: the Ryotwari and Mahalwari systems. These aimed to gather taxes for the British government without the involvement of Zamindars. In both systems, the tax amount wasn't fixed. The big difference between the Mahalwari and Ryotwari Systems lies in who owns the land and pays the taxes. In Ryotwari, peasants directly pay taxes and own their land. But in Mahalwari, the village owns the land, and the village headman pays the taxes on behalf of everyone.

Difference Between Permanent Settlement, Ryotwari System and Mahalwari System

Under British rule in India, different methods were used to collect land revenue. These included the Permanent Settlement (Zamindari System), Ryotwari System, and Mahalwari System. While all these systems were unfair to the peasants, they differed in their approach. Here's a simple breakdown of how the Permanent Settlement, Mahalwari System, and Ryotwari System worked.

Difference Between Permanent Settlement, Ryotwari System and Mahalwari System

Permanent Settlement Ryotwari System Mahalwari System
The land was owned by the Zamindars The land was owned by the peasants The land was owned by village or community
The revenue amount was fixed The revenue amount was not fixed The revenue amount was not fixed
There was a presence of middlemen i.e. Zamindars There was no middleman There was a presence of the Village head, i.e. Lambardar
The revenue was not collected by the peasants directly. The revenue was collected by the peasants directly. The revenue was not collected by the peasants directly.

Ryotwari System Drawbacks

The Ryotwari system had many problems that eventually led to its failure. It resulted in the severe exploitation of the farmers. Here are some of the issues with the Ryotwari system:
  1. The taxes imposed on the cultivators were very high, which was a significant drawback. The rates set for land taxes were much higher than what the land could actually produce.
  2. The method of tax collection by the British government was harsh and inflexible. If the farmers couldn't pay the required amount on time, they would face torture and eviction.
  3. Another significant flaw was that officials could easily be bribed during the land assessment process. This led to a widespread increase in bribery.
  4. The excessive taxes on the land devalued it because there was a lack of proper care. The farmers were unable to maintain their land due to the financial burden imposed on them.
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Ryotwari System 1820 FAQs

Q1. What is the Ryotwari system also known as?

Ans. The Ryotwari System was introduced in Tamil Nadu in 1820. It is also known as Munro System.

Q2. What is the ryotwari and Mahalwari system?

Ans. It was the way of collecting tax revenue (in British controlled areas in India) directly from cultivators of farmland.

Q3. Who tried the Ryotwari system?

Ans. The Ryotwari system was tried on a small scale by Captain Alexander Read in some of the areas that were taken over by the company after the wars with Tipu Sultan. It was later developed by Thomas Munro.

Q4. Why was the Ryotwari system adopted?

Ans. The Ryotwari system was adopted because they felt that there were no traditional zamindars and settlement had to be made.

Q5. Who introduced the first Ryotwari system?

Ans. Capt. Alexander Read and Thomas (later Sir Thomas) Munro created the technique around the end of the 18th century, and the latter applied it while serving as governor of Madras (1820–27).
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