Social and Economic Development in Bihar (1854-1885)

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The social and economic activities constitute the most significant and interesting aspects in the life of the people. But unfortunately the subject of our research has not received adequate attention of scholars in Bihar. As a matter of fact no work embracing a detailed study of the subject has appeared as yet. The period of our consideration was a formative period in the History of modern Bihar. This period (1854-1885) not only saw the steady growth of middle class intelligentsia but also witnessed the development of modern industries and communications in the province which greatly affected the life and economy of the people in general. It was in 1854 (when the period of our study begins) the post of the Lieutenant-Governor was created for Bengal Presidency and in 1885 (when we come to end the period of our consideration) the Bengal Tenancy Act was passed to protect the interest of the riots of Bengal and Bihar.

The period also witnessed the steady growth of political consciousness in Bihar. For the sake of convenience the subject has been divided into eight chapters. The first chapter introduces the background. The second chapter narrates the relation between landlords and tenants. Chapter-3 describes the development of roads and railways during the period. The fourth gives an account of the progress of some of the indigenous and mineral industries of Bihar. Chapter-5 deals with various points of the condition of agricultural and industrial labour. Chapter-6 describes the educational progress in the province and the chapter-7 represents the position of women in the second half of the nineteenth century. The last chapter contains the conclusion of the thesis.

I am indebted to Dr. Som Nath Roy for guidance, supervision and valuable suggestions. I am grateful to Dr. S.P. Singh, Late Dr. K.K. Dutta, Dr. J.C. Jha, and Dr. Surendra Gopal for their suggestions and assistance. I am also indebted to Sri Tara Sharan Sinha. Sri Jawaharji. Md. Rafique. Sri Daroga Prasad and Sri Srikant Singh who helped me in research work. I am thankful to the Librarians of Sinha Library. Patna University Library, Khuda Baksh Khan Library, Science College Library, Secretariate Library and Bihar Assembly Library for their kind coordination and help. I am thankful to Dr. Onkar Nath Jha, for proof reading and helping me.

The Battle of Plassey laid the foundation of British rule in India. As regards the Bengal Subah, the most important transaction was grant of Diwani of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa to the East India Company by Shah Alam II on the 12th August 1765 which made the English the virtual masters of the Subah. Lord Clive introduced a system of double-government in which the Company had real powers and the responsibility of the administration was thrown on the shoulders of Nawab. The result of the new system was very unsatisfactory. According to a Company's servant, "since the access of the Company to the Diwani, the condition of the people of this country has been worse than it was before, and yet I am afraid the fact is undoubted.... this fine country which flourished under the most despotic and arbitrary Government is verging towards its ruin. "1

Warren Hastings took over the charge of the Government of Bengal on the 13th April 1772 and immediately after it the old system of the duel government was abolished. The East India Company took the responsibility of the administration of Bengal. To augment the revenue of the Government he abolished the old land revenue system and introduced five yearly system. This system proved failure. In 1777 annual settlements were made with Zaminders, farmers and renters, but the both schemes proved total failure.

In 1786, Lord Cornwallis found the system of revenue "ill calculated to improve a country."2 After much discussion with the help of Sir John Shore, Lord Cornwallis implemented a new system known as the Decennial Settlement in which Zamindary was granted for ten years. It was going to be made permanent after ten years, but the Government-General felt that "only a Permanent Settlement alone can make the country flourish." Certain rules were formed to prevent rack-renting of the cultivators. Article 57 of the General Regulations of 23rd November 1791 strictly prohibited the Zamindars of Bihar from imposing any new abwabs or cesses upon the cultivators; nothing could check the Bihar zamindars from exacting illegal taxes from their raiyats.

After much observation, the Decennial system was made permanent. To protect the rights of the raiyats the landlords were instructed to grant pattahs to the raiyats and the cultivators were provided with power to compel adherence to pattahas through a law suit in the court. Nothing could be better on the paper, but the whole plan was a total failure. If Cornwallis supposed the zamindar raiyat relation- ship in the provinces of Bengal and Bihar to that prevailed in England and Ireland he was obviously building the castle in the air.

The Permanent Settlement created an artificial pressure on land and made land a very profitable business for investment of money.

This new system of landlordism not only rackrented the peasants but also ruined the indigenous industries of Bengal and Bihar. With the decline of the old aristocrate families the demands of artistic and costly materials decreased by degrees. In the eighteenth century Bihar was famous for the manufacture of cotton, calico, silk, opium, saltpetre etc. Robert Hughes (1620), one of the Factors at Agra, had admitted that Patna was the "Chefest marte towne of all Bengala" and the Bihar silk was considered the cheapest and surest dealings. Even after the establishment of the British Supremacy in Bengal, the English Company permitted the other foreign companies to purchase cotton clothes from Bihar except in time of war.