NCERT Solutions Class 8 Social Science (History: Our Past III)
The NCERT Solutions in English Language for Class 8 Social Science (History : Our Past III) Chapter – 3 (Ruling the Countryside) has been provided here to help the students in solving the questions from this exercise.
History (Our Pasts – III)
- Chapter – 1 — How, When and Where
- Chapter – 2 — From Trade to Territory The Company Establishes Power
- Chapter – 4 — Tribals, Dikus and the Vision of a Golden Age
- Chapter – 5 — When People Rebel 1857 and after
- Chapter – 6 — Weavers, Iron Smelters and Factory Owners
- Chapter – 7 — Civilising the “Native”, Educating the Nation
- Chapter – 8 — Women, Caste and Reform
- Chapter – 9 — The Making of the National Movement: 1870s – 1947
- Chapter – 10 — India after Independence
Chapter – 3 (Ruling the Countryside)
Let’s Recall
1. Match the following.
| Ryot | Village |
| Mahal | Peasant |
| Nij | Cultivation on ryot’s lands |
| Ryoti | Cultivation on planter’s own land |
Answer –
| Ryot | Peasant |
| Mahal | Village |
| Nij | Cultivation on planter’s own land |
| Ryoti | Cultivation on ryot’s land |
2. Fill in the blanks.
(a) Growers of woad in Europe saw __________ as a crop which would provide competition to their earnings.
(b) The demand for indigo increased in late eighteenth-century Britain because of __________.
(c) The international demand for indigo was affected by the discovery of __________.
(d) The Champaran movement was against __________.
Answer –
(a) Growers of woad in Europe saw indigo as a crop which would provide competition to their earnings.
(b) The demand for indigo increased in late eighteenth-century Britain because of the expansion of cotton production.
(c) The international demand for indigo was affected by the discovery of synthetic dyes.
(d) The Champaran movement was against indigo planters.
Let’s Discuss
3. Describe the main features of the Permanent Settlement.
Answer – Following were the main features of the Permanent Settlement:
(a) The rajas and taluqdars were recognised as zamindars.
(b) They were responsible for collecting revenue from peasants and paying to the Company.
(c) Revenue demand was permanently fixed.
4. How was the Mahalwari System different from the Permanent Settlement?
Answer – Differences between Mahalwari System and Permanent Settlement are given below.
| Mahalwari System | Permanent Settlement |
| (i) The system of Mahalwari was introduced in western part of Gangetic Valley, North-West Province, parts of Central India and Punjab | (i) Permanent Settlement was introduced in Bihar and Bengal |
| (ii) It came into effect in 1822 devised by Holt Mackenzi. | (ii) It was introduced in 1793 by Lord Cornwallis. |
| (iii) It was developed as the alternative to the Permanent Settlement. | (iii) It was aimed to ensure a permanent amount of revenue for the Company. |
| (iv) The amount of land revenue was revised periodically. The government could revise the revenue. | (iv) The amount to be paid as land revenue was fixed. The government could not enhance the land revenue. |
| (v) The charge of collecting the revenue and paying it to the Company was given to the village headman. | (vi) The zamindar had the charge of collecting the revenue. |
5. Give two problems which arose with the new Munro system of fixing revenue.
Answer – The new Munro system of fixing revenue posed two problems:
(i) The revenue demand was fixed way too high for peasants to pay.
(ii) Peasants were unable to pay the rent, which culminated in villages getting deserted.
6. Why were ryots reluctant to grow indigo?
Answer – The ryots were reluctant to grow indigo for the below-given reasons:
(i) They were paid very low prices for it.
(ii) The ryots never saw any profit accruing from the indigo plantation.
(iii) Ryots were asked to grow indigo on the fertile parts of their land by the planters, which they were apprehensive about.
7. What were the circumstances which led to the eventual collapse of indigo production in Bengal?
Answer – The collapse of indigo production in Bengal was caused by the following circumstances:
(i) Ryots’ denied producing the indigo anymore.
(ii) Protests started taking place by the peasants/ryots supported by the zamindars.
(iii) Following the protests, the Indigo Commission was constituted by the government, which accepted the faults of the planters and asked the planters to stop the cultivation.
(iv) Planters eventually moved out of the city.
