Which fact relating to the Agrarian system in post-Gupta period caused...
The correct answer is option 'A': The right of collecting revenue became proprietary and hereditary, leading to the feudatories disposing of both revenue and land.
Explanation:
The Agrarian system in the post-Gupta period witnessed significant changes that caused misery to both the king and the peasant. One of the key factors that contributed to this misery was the transformation of the revenue collection system.
1. Proprietary and Hereditary Rights:
- In the post-Gupta period, the right of collecting revenue from land became proprietary and hereditary. This means that the feudal lords or feudatories, who were initially appointed by the king to collect revenue, gradually gained ownership of the land and revenue.
- As a result, the feudatories not only collected revenue but also disposed of the land, leading to the concentration of power and wealth in their hands.
- This change in the system caused misery to both the king and the peasant.
2. Feudatories' Disposal of Revenue and Land:
- With the revenue collection becoming hereditary, the feudatories started treating the land and revenue as their own property rather than a duty assigned by the king.
- They began exploiting the peasants by imposing heavy taxes and extracting maximum revenue from the land.
- The feudatories also started disposing of the land to their allies or family members, further consolidating their power and control over the agrarian system.
- This led to the exploitation of the peasants, who had to bear the burden of excessive taxation and arbitrary decisions by the feudatories.
Impact on the King and the Peasants:
- The transformation of the revenue collection system caused misery to the king as he lost control over the revenue and land, resulting in a weakening of the central authority.
- The king became dependent on the feudatories for revenue, which often led to conflicts and disputes between the two parties.
- The peasants suffered immensely as they were subjected to exploitation, heavy taxes, and arbitrary decisions by the feudatories.
- The concentration of power in the hands of the feudatories and the dispossession of land led to social and economic inequalities, exacerbating the misery of the peasants.
In conclusion, the fact that the right of collecting revenue became proprietary and hereditary was a significant factor that caused misery to both the king and the peasant in the post-Gupta period.