Introduction
Before British rule, India’s agrarian structure was largely based on customary rights, communal ownership, and village-level governance. Land was seen as a source of livelihood and not merely property.
Main Features
- Community Ownership: Villages often managed land collectively.
- Customary Tenure: Farmers had hereditary rights and rarely faced eviction.
- Role of Village Institutions: Panchayats managed disputes and land allocation.
- Revenue to Kings: Tax was paid as a share of produce to local rulers or empires.
Conclusion
Pre-British agrarian structures were more decentralized and based on mutual dependence between rulers and cultivators.