Thomas Munro
Also called: Sir Thomas Munro · Topic: Colonial Economy: Land Revenue, Drain, Deindustrialisation · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
Thomas Munro was a soldier and administrator of the East India Company. He is known as one of the chief makers of the ryotwari system. Under ryotwari, land revenue was settled directly with each ryot (cultivator), with no zamindar in between. He preferred dealing directly with cultivators over creating a class of big landlords, as had been done in Bengal. He later served as Governor of Madras (1820–1827), where ryotwari spread widely.
Example
In the 1790s, Munro worked with Alexander Read in the Baramahal region and tried out revenue settlements made directly with individual ryots. This experience became the base of the ryotwari system across Madras.
Don't confuse with
- Cornwallis: he brought in the Permanent Settlement with zamindars in Bengal (1793). Munro's ryotwari did away with the zamindar as the middleman.
Related concepts
- David Ricardo
- Ricardian theory of rent
- Rentier
- Bombay Deccan
- Ryotwari system
- Temporary settlement
- Mahalwari system
- Malguzar
- Deccan famine of 1832-34
- Peasant indebtedness