The basic unit of agricultural society during the Mughal period was thea)Village.b)Block.c)Suba.d)Pargana.Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer?

EduRev

All Courses

Explore Courses UPSC Exam UPSC Test Series Free Notes EduRev Infinity

Open App

Humanities/Arts Exam > Humanities/Arts Questions > The basic unit of agricultural society during...

Join the Discussion on the App

The basic unit of agricultural society during the Mughal period was the

a)
Village.
b)
Block.
c)
Suba.
d)
Pargana.

Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer?

FREE This question is part of

Test: Peasants, Zamindars And The State- 1

Attempt Test

Attempt this Test

Verified Answer

The basic unit of agricultural society during the Mughal period was th...

The basic unit of agricultural society was the village. The village was inhabited by peasants who performed the manifold seasonal tasks that made up agricultural production throughout the year – tilling the soil, sowing seeds, harvesting the crop when it was ripe. They also produced agro-based goods like sugar and oil.

View all questions of this test

Most Upvoted Answer

The basic unit of agricultural society during the Mughal period was th...

The basic unit of agricultural society during the Mughal period was the village. The Mughal Empire, which spanned from the 16th to the 19th century, had a well-developed agricultural system that heavily relied on the village as its foundation.

Importance of Villages in the Mughal Empire:
Villages played a crucial role in the Mughal Empire for various reasons:

1. Agricultural Production: Villages were primarily agricultural communities where the majority of the population engaged in farming. They were responsible for cultivating crops and producing food for the empire. Agriculture was the backbone of the Mughal economy, and villages were the main centers of agricultural production.

2. Revenue Collection: Villages were also important for revenue collection. The Mughal administration levied taxes on agricultural produce, and revenue officials were appointed to collect these taxes from the villages. The revenue collected from villages formed a major source of income for the empire.

3. Land Ownership: Villages were also units of land ownership. Land was typically owned by the village community or local landlords, and revenue was collected from the farmers who cultivated the land. The village community had a significant say in the distribution and use of land within the village boundaries.

4. Social Organization: Villages formed the social fabric of Mughal society. They were close-knit communities where people lived in close proximity to one another. Villagers often had strong ties of kinship and community, and social life revolved around the village. Religious and cultural events, as well as economic activities, were centered around the village.

5. Governance: Villages were governed by local officials appointed by the Mughal administration. These officials were responsible for maintaining law and order, resolving disputes, and collecting revenue. They played a crucial role in the administration and governance of the village.

Conclusion:
The village was the basic unit of agricultural society during the Mughal period. It served as the foundation of the empire's agricultural system, revenue collection, land ownership, social organization, and governance. Villages were the primary centers of agricultural production and played a vital role in sustaining the Mughal Empire's economy and society.

Answered by Crafty Classes · View profile

Attention Humanities/Arts Students!

To make sure you are not studying endlessly, EduRev has designed Humanities/Arts study material, with Structured Courses, Videos, & Test Series. Plus get personalized analysis, doubt solving and improvement plans to achieve a great score in Humanities/Arts.

Chapter Notes for Humanities

NCERT Books & Solutions for Humanities

Online MCQ Tests for Humanities

Short & Long Question Answers for Humanities

View all answers Start learning for free

< Previous Question Next Question >

Explore Courses for Humanities/Arts exam

Similar Humanities/Arts Doubts

What was the basic unit of agricultural society?

View answer

Directions: Please read the passage and answer the questions that follows.Another significant change in rural society that is linked to the commercialisation of agriculture has been the growth of migrant agricultural labour. As ‘traditional’ bonds of patronage between labourers or tenants and landlords broke down, and as the seasonal demand for agricultural labour increased in prosperous Green Revolution regions such as the Punjab, a pattern of seasonal migration emerged in which thousands of workers circulate between their home villages and more prosperous areas where there is more demand for labour and higher wages. Labourers migrate also due to the increasing inequalities in rural areas from the mid-1990s, which have forced many households to combine multiple occupations to sustain themselves. As a livelihood strategy, men migrate out periodically in search of work and better wages, while women and children are often left behind in their villages with elderly grandparents.Migrant workers come mainly from drought- prone and less productive regions, and they go to work for part of the year on farms in the Punjab and Haryana, or on brick kilns in U.P., or construction sites in cities such as New Delhi or Bangalore. These migrant workers have been termed ‘footloose labour’ by Jan Breman, but thisdoes not imply freedom. Breman’s (1985) study shows, to the contrary, that landless workers do not have many rights, for instance, they are usually not paid the minimum wage. It should be noted here that wealthy farmers often prefer to employ migrant workers for harvesting and other such intensive operations, rather than the local working class, because migrants are more easily exploited and can be paid lower wages. This preference has produced a peculiar pattern in some areas where the local landless labourers move out of the home villages in search of work during the peak agricultural seasons, while migrant workers are brought in from other areas to work on the local farms. This pattern is found especially in sugarcane growing areas.Migration and lack of job security have created very poor working and living conditions for these workers.Q. Sugarcane workers in Maharashtra migrate to Karnataka for 5 months and after the work is over, they go back to their village. What does this process reflect ?

View answer

Direction: Read the case study given below and answer the questions that follow:Ralegan Siddhi is a small village in the district of Ahmednagar, Maharashtra. It has become an example for watershed development throughout the country.In 1975, this village was caught in a web of poverty and illicit liquor trade. The transformation took place when a retired army personnel, settled down in the village and took up the task of watered development. He convinced villagers about the importance of family planning and voluntary labour; preventing open grazing, felling trees, and liquor prohibition.Voluntary labour was necessary to ensure minimum dependence on the government for financial aids. “It socialised the costs of the projects”, explained the activist. Even those who were working outside the village contributed to the development by committing a month’s salary every year. Work began with the percolation tank constructed in the village. In 1975, the tank could not hold water. The embankment wall leaked. People voluntarily repaired the embankment. The seven wells below it swelled with water in summer for the first time in the living memory of the people. The people reposed their faith in him and his visions.A youth group called Tarun Mandal was formed. The group worked to ban the dowry system, caste discrimination and untouchability. Liquor distilling units were removed and prohibition imposed. Open grazing was completely banned with a new emphasis on stall-feeding. The cultivation of water intensive crops like sugarcane was banned. Crops such as pulses, oil seeds and certain cash crops with low water requirements were encouraged. All elections to local bodies began to be held on the basis of consensus. “It made the community leaders complete representatives of the people.” A system of Nyay Panchayats (informal courts) were also set up. Since then, no case has been referred to the police. A Rs. 22 lakh school building was constructed using only the resources of the village. No donations were taken. Money, if needed, was borrowed and paid back. The villagers took pride in this self-reliance. A new system of sharing labour grew out of this infusion of pride and voluntary spirit. People volunteered to help each other in agricultural operation. Landless labourers also gained employment. Today the village plans to buy land for them in adjoining villages. At present, water is adequate; agriculture is flourishing, though the use of fertilizers and pesticides is very high. The prosperity also brings the question of ability of the present generation to carry on the work after the leader of the movement who declared that, “The process of Ralegan’s evolution to an ideal village will not stop. With changing times, people tend to evolve new ways. In future, Ralegan might present a different model to the country.”In which state is Ralegan Siddhi situated?

View answer

Directions: Please read the passage and answer the questions that follows.Another significant change in rural society that is linked to the commercialisation of agriculture has been the growth of migrant agricultural labour. As ‘traditional’ bonds of patronage between labourers or tenants and landlords broke down, and as the seasonal demand for agricultural labour increased in prosperous Green Revolution regions such as the Punjab, a pattern of seasonal migration emerged in which thousands of workers circulate between their home villages and more prosperous areas where there is more demand for labour and higher wages. Labourers migrate also due to the increasing inequalities in rural areas from the mid-1990s, which have forced many households to combine multiple occupations to sustain themselves. As a livelihood strategy, men migrate out periodically in search of work and better wages, while women and children are often left behind in their villages with elderly grandparents.Migrant workers come mainly from drought- prone and less productive regions, and they go to work for part of the year on farms in the Punjab and Haryana, or on brick kilns in U.P., or construction sites in cities such as New Delhi or Bangalore. These migrant workers have been termed ‘footloose labour’ by Jan Breman, but thisdoes not imply freedom. Breman’s (1985) study shows, to the contrary, that landless workers do not have many rights, for instance, they are usually not paid the minimum wage. It should be noted here that wealthy farmers often prefer to employ migrant workers for harvesting and other such intensive operations, rather than the local working class, because migrants are more easily exploited and can be paid lower wages. This preference has produced a peculiar pattern in some areas where the local landless labourers move out of the home villages in search of work during the peak agricultural seasons, while migrant workers are brought in from other areas to work on the local farms. This pattern is found especially in sugarcane growing areas.Migration and lack of job security have created very poor working and living conditions for these workers.Q. What kind of process is the above passage reflecting?

View answer

Directions: Please read the passage and answer the questions that follows.Another significant change in rural society that is linked to the commercialisation of agriculture has been the growth of migrant agricultural labour. As ‘traditional’ bonds of patronage between labourers or tenants and landlords broke down, and as the seasonal demand for agricultural labour increased in prosperous Green Revolution regions such as the Punjab, a pattern of seasonal migration emerged in which thousands of workers circulate between their home villages and more prosperous areas where there is more demand for labour and higher wages. Labourers migrate also due to the increasing inequalities in rural areas from the mid-1990s, which have forced many households to combine multiple occupations to sustain themselves. As a livelihood strategy, men migrate out periodically in search of work and better wages, while women and children are often left behind in their villages with elderly grandparents.Migrant workers come mainly from drought- prone and less productive regions, and they go to work for part of the year on farms in the Punjab and Haryana, or on brick kilns in U.P., or construction sites in cities such as New Delhi or Bangalore. These migrant workers have been termed ‘footloose labour’ by Jan Breman, but thisdoes not imply freedom. Breman’s (1985) study shows, to the contrary, that landless workers do not have many rights, for instance, they are usually not paid the minimum wage. It should be noted here that wealthy farmers often prefer to employ migrant workers for harvesting and other such intensive operations, rather than the local working class, because migrants are more easily exploited and can be paid lower wages. This preference has produced a peculiar pattern in some areas where the local landless labourers move out of the home villages in search of work during the peak agricultural seasons, while migrant workers are brought in from other areas to work on the local farms. This pattern is found especially in sugarcane growing areas.Migration and lack of job security have created very poor working and living conditions for these workers.Q. Who coined the term ‘foot loose labour’?

View answer

Top Courses for Humanities/ArtsView all

Chapter Notes for Humanities

NCERT Books & Solutions for Humanities

Online MCQ Tests for Humanities

Short & Long Question Answers for Humanities

Geography Class 11