Glossary term
Zamindari System: Meaning and Definition
Reviewed and approved by Dr. Anamika ShrivastavaPublished Last updated
The zamindari system was a colonial land revenue arrangement, notably in Bengal, in which zamindars paid fixed revenue to the government and collected rent from cultivators. Many zamindars did nothing to improve farming, so cultivators suffered and productivity stagnated. Independent India abolished zamindari and intermediaries through land reforms.
In more detail
The system created a class of intermediaries between the state and the cultivator. Revenue was fixed in advance, and a zamindar who failed to pay could lose the estate, so rent was collected with little regard for harvests. Independent India abolished it in the 1950s through state laws.
Example
A zamindar who had to deposit a fixed sum by a fixed date, or lose his rights, pressed tenants for rent regardless of crop failure and rarely invested in irrigation.
Key points
- Fixed revenue dates made zamindars strict.
- Profit went to the zamindar, not the cultivator.
- Abolished after independence.
Common mistake
Confusing it with the ryotwari and mahalwari systems, which worked differently.
Related terms
Where it is explained
This term is explained in Class 11 Indian Economic Development Chapter 1: Indian Economy on the Eve of Independence.