Lord Cornwallis
Also called: Charles Cornwallis · Topic: Colonial Economy: Land Revenue, Drain, Deindustrialisation · NCERT: Class 12, Ch 1 "Colonialism and the Countryside"
Meaning
Lord Cornwallis was Governor-General of Bengal from 1786 to 1793. He brought in the Permanent Settlement in 1793. Under it, the revenue that zamindars paid the Company was fixed forever. He hoped that secure property rights would make zamindars invest in farming. He also hoped they would become loyal "yeomen" farmers and rich landowners. Earlier, he had led British forces in the American War of Independence and surrendered at Yorktown in 1781.
Example
Under Cornwallis's Permanent Settlement of 1793, the rajas and taluqdars of Bengal were reclassified as zamindars. Each paid a fixed revenue. If a zamindar failed to pay by sunset on the due date (the Sunset Law), his estate could be auctioned.
Don't confuse with
- Warren Hastings: Hastings began auctioning revenue-collection rights (izaradari) in 1772. Cornwallis replaced this with a fixed, permanent settlement.
Related concepts
- Izaradari system
- Permanent Settlement
- Mahal
- Collector
- Amlah
- Cutcherry
- Sunset law
- Bengal Tenancy Act 1885