Farmers were the immediate victims of the British rule. The land revenue system implemented by the British destroyed the backbone of the farmers. The aim of the British tax policy was to maximize income. The peasants were led to a revolt due to the land revenue policy of the British and the torture by the landlords.
The Indigo Revolt:
With the Industrial Revolution in the 18th century in England, textile industry gathered much momentum and the demand for indigo increased. It was necessary for the British industrialists to get indigo plantation spread to more regions in India. They gave farmers a good amount as advance for the cultivation of indigo.
Each farmer who accepted the advance from the British had to plant indigo in a fixed portion of his land. The farmers were also compelled to cultivate it in the most fertile part of their land. Due to the interference of the British agents during the harvesting season, the farmers received only a low price for indigo.
The indigo farmers resorted to revolt owing to severe exploitation and endless miseries. In 1859, the farmers of Bengal organized themselves and declared that they were giving up indigo cultivation. They attacked indigo factories with bows, arrows, swords and spears.
The farmers refused to take advance and cultivate indigo. They also opposed the threats of eviction and increase in lease amount. The government appointed a commission to study the problems of indigo farmers. The commission proposed to stop indigo cultivation as it was uneconomic.
Peasant Revolts in Kerala:
British Malabar witnessed many peasant struggles. The exploitation and suppression of the landlords and the British led to the revolts in Malabar. The British treated the Janmis as owners of land.
The revolt was against the eviction of tenants carried out by the Janmis with the support of the British. Farmers of South Malabar were tenants who cultivated the land obtained on lease from landlords. Most of these tenants were Mappilas. So these struggles were known as Mappita Rebellions.
Around 22 peasant revolts took place in Malabar. To suppress the revolts, the British raised a special armed police battalion named Malabar Special Police. The British government appointed the William Logan Commission to enquire about the revolts. The Commission pointed out that the cause of the struggle was the unfair land revenue system of the British.
