Ancient Rights and Future Comfort - Bihar, the Bengal Tenancy Act of 1885, and British Rule in India

This book analyses the character of British rule in nineteenth-century India, by focusing on the underlying ideas and the practical repercussions of agrarian policy. It argues that the great rent law debate and the Bengal Tenancy Act of 1885 helped constitute a revolution in the effective aims of government and in the colonial ability to interfere in India, but that they did so alongside a continuing weakness of understanding and in effective local control. In particular, the book considers the importance of notions of historical rights and economic progress to the false categorisations made of agrarian structure. It shows that the Tenancy Act helped to widen social disparities in rural Bihar, and to create political interests on the land.

List of contents

Chapter 1 Property, classes and the state; Chapter 2 Official will and administrative capacity; Chapter 3 A necessary reform; Chapter 4 The great rent law debate; Chapter 5 Custom and the law; Chapter 6 The magic of property; Chapter 7 The politics of land; Chapter 8 Keeping the record; Chapter 9 Colonial rule and agrarian structure; Chapter 10 Rents and rights; Chapter 11 Peasants, property and nation;

About the author

P.G. Robb School of Oriental and African Studies, London

Summary

This text analyses the character of British rule in nineteenth-century India by focusing on the underlying ideas and the practical repercussions of agrarian policy.

Product details

• Authors: Peter Robb
• Publisher: Taylor and Francis
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 20.05.1997
• EAN: 9780700706259
• ISBN: 978-0-7007-0625-9
• No. of pages: 410
• Weight: 920 g
• Subjects: Non-fiction book > History > Miscellaneous; Social sciences, law, business > Ethnology > Folklore; BUSINESS & ECONOMICS / Economic History, POLITICAL SCIENCE / Colonialism & Post-Colonialism, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Regional Studies, India, 19th century, c 1800 to c 1899, 18th century, c 1700 to c 1799, Regional Studies, Colonialism and imperialism, Regional / International studies, Asian History, National liberation and independence, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Cultural & Ethnic Studies / General