Understanding the Difference between Mahalwari System and Permanent Settlement

What is the Mahalwari System?

The Mahalwari system was a revenue collection system used in India during the 19th century. It was implemented in the North-Western Provinces of British India in 1833 and later extended to other parts of India. Under the system, land revenues were collected from villages in a uniform rate on the basis of the size of the land and crops grown. The revenues were then shared among the village landowners as well as the government.

What is the Permanent Settlement?

The Permanent Settlement was a revenue collection system implemented by the British in India in 1793. Under this system, land revenue was calculated on the basis of the amount of land held by the zamindars (landlords). The landlords were then given a fixed amount of revenue to pay to the British. The landlords were also given ownership rights over the land, making it their permanent property.

How the Two Systems Differ

The main difference between the Mahalwari system and the Permanent Settlement is the way in which land revenue was calculated. Under the Mahalwari system, land revenue was calculated based on the size of land and crops grown, whereas under the Permanent Settlement, it was calculated based on the amount of land held by the zamindars. This meant that the Permanent Settlement gave the landlords more control over the land and its revenue.

Impact of the Two Systems

The Mahalwari system was seen as a more fair and equitable way of collecting revenue as it ensured that everyone paid the same amount regardless of the size of their landholdings. This helped to reduce the amount of exploitation of peasants by landlords. On the other hand, the Permanent Settlement gave landlords more control over land and its revenue, which led to increased exploitation of peasants by landlords and the growth of a powerful landed elite in India.

Conclusion

The Mahalwari system and the Permanent Settlement were two different revenue collection systems used in India during the 19th century. The main difference between the two was the way in which land revenue was calculated. The Mahalwari system was seen as a more equitable system as it ensured that everyone paid the same amount regardless of the size of their landholdings, whereas the Permanent Settlement gave landlords more control over land and its revenue, leading to increased exploitation of peasants by landlords.