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NCERT Solutions for Class 8 History Chapter 3 - Ruling the Countryside

Let's recall

Q1. Match the following:
NCERT Solutions for Class 8 History Chapter 3 - Ruling the Countryside

Ans:
NCERT Solutions for Class 8 History Chapter 3 - Ruling the Countryside

Q2. Fill in the blanks:
(a) Growers of woad in Europe saw __________ as a crop which would provide competition to their earnings.
Ans: Growers of woad in Europe saw indigo as a crop which would provide competition to their earnings.

(b) The demand for indigo increased in late eighteenth-century Britain because of __________.
Ans: The demand for indigo increased in late eighteenth-century Britain because of the expansion of cotton production.

(c) The international demand for indigo was affected by the discovery of __________.
Ans: The international demand for indigo was affected by the discovery of synthetic dyes.

(d) The Champaran movement was against __________.
Ans: The Champaran movement was against indigo planters.

NCERT Solutions for Class 8 History Chapter 3 - Ruling the CountrysideChamparan Movement. 

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Q3. Describe the main features of the Permanent Settlement.
Ans: In order to get a stable revenue income, most of the East India Company’s officials believed that investment in land had to be encouraged and agriculture had to be improved. This led to introduction of permanent settlement in 1793.

NCERT Solutions for Class 8 History Chapter 3 - Ruling the CountrysideLand Revenue Policy.

  • By the terms of the settlement the rajas and taluqdars were recognized as zamindars.
  • They were asked to collect rent from the peasants and pay revenue to the company.
  • The amount to be paid was fixed permanently.
  • It was felt that this would ensure a regular flow of revenue into the company’s coffers and at the same time encourages the zamindars to invest is improving the land.
  • If the zamindars failed to pay the revenue, which they usually did as the fixed revenue was very high, they lost their zamindari.


Q4. How was the mahalwari system different from the Permanent Settlement?
Ans:
NCERT Solutions for Class 8 History Chapter 3 - Ruling the Countryside


Q5. Give two problems which arose with the new Munro system of fixing revenue.
Ans: Two problems which arose with the new Munro system of fixing revenue were:

  • Driven by the desire to increase the income from land, revenue officials fixed too high a revenue demand.
  • Peasants were unable to pay ryots fled the countryside and villages became deserted in many regions.


Q6. Why were ryots reluctant to grow indigo?
Ans: The ryots reluctant to grow indigo because:

  • The planters paid a very low price for indigo.
  • The ryots were not in a position to even recover his cost, earning a profit was a far-fetched idea. This meant that the ryot was always under debt.
  • The planters insisted that the peasants cultivate indigo on the most fertile parts of their land, but the peasants preferred growing rice on the best soils as after an indigo harvest, the land could not be used for sowing rice.


Q7. What were the circumstances which led to the eventual collapse of indigo production in Bengal?
Ans: The collapse of indigo production in Bengal was caused by the following circumstances: 

  • Ryots’ denied producing the indigo anymore
  • Protests started taking place by the peasants/ ryots supported by the zamindars 
  • Following the protests, the Indigo Commission was constituted by the government which accepted the faults of the planters and asked the planters to stop the cultivation.
  • Planters eventually moved out of the city

NCERT Solutions for Class 8 History Chapter 3 - Ruling the CountrysideIndigo production in Bengal.

Let's Do

Q8. Find out more about the Champaran movement and Mahatma Gandhi’s role in it.
Ans: Champaran Movement and Gandhi's Role

  • Background (1917, Champaran—Bihar): Peasants were compelled by European planters to grow indigo under the tinkathia system (3/20 of land for indigo). They got meagre rates, were trapped in advances (dadon), and suffered illegal cesses and coercion.

  • Gandhi’s Entry: Invited by Raj Kumar Shukla, Gandhi reached Champaran (April 1917), met peasants, and conducted a detailed inquiry, recording hundreds of statements.

  • Satyagraha Method: When ordered to leave, Gandhi refused; he used non-violent civil disobedience, legal arguments, and publicly documented abuses—bringing moral pressure on the government.

  • Official Committee & Reforms: A government committee (with Gandhi on it) accepted key demands. The tinkathia system was abolished, illegal dues curtailed/refunded, and peasants gained freedom to choose crops.

  • Significance: First Satyagraha in India; established Gandhi’s leadership; also launched constructive work (schools, sanitation, health) showing that relief + reform could go together.

Q9. Look into the history of either tea or coffee plantations in India. See how the life of workers in these plantations was similar to or different from that of workers in indigo plantations.
Ans: Brief history of tea plantations

  • Early 1800s: Wild tea identified in Assam; experimentation under Company rule.
  • 1830s–1840s: Commercial estates in Assam and Darjeeling (companies like the Assam Company).
  • Expansion: Plantations spread to Dooars, Terai and parts of North-East; tea became a major export under British control.

Life of tea plantation workers

  • Recruitment & migration: Large numbers of Adivasi and rural poor were recruited via contractors; many migrated far from home.
  • Contracts & control: Bound by long contracts; movement restricted; desertion punished; workers lived inside estates under tight supervision.
  • Work & wages: Long hours, low cash wages, fines; rudimentary housing, poor sanitation; high disease rates.
  • Gender: A large share of field work—especially plucking—is done by women.

Similarities

  • Coercion & control: Both faced pressure from planters and intermediaries.
  • Economic exploitation: Low returns (indigo through unfair contracts; tea through low wages/fines).
  • Harsh conditions: Long hours, poor housing/health, physical intimidation common.
  • Debt/Advances: Advances kept both groups dependent on planters/contractors.

Differences

NCERT Solutions for Class 8 History Chapter 3 - Ruling the Countryside

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FAQs on NCERT Solutions for Class 8 History Chapter 3 - Ruling the Countryside

1. What was the impact of British land revenue policies on Indian peasants?
Ans. British land revenue policies had a devastating impact on Indian peasants. They were forced to pay high land revenue taxes, which were often more than what they could afford. This led to widespread indebtedness, landlessness, and poverty. Peasants were often forced to sell their lands or become tenant farmers, which made them vulnerable to exploitation by landlords.
2. How did the Permanent Settlement system work in India?
Ans. The Permanent Settlement system was introduced by the British in India in 1793. It was a revenue system that fixed the land revenue to be paid by the peasants in perpetuity. The system was introduced in Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa. The landlords were made responsible for paying the revenue to the British government. This system led to the concentration of land in the hands of a few wealthy landlords and left the peasants at the mercy of these landlords.
3. What was the role of the Zamindars in the British revenue system?
Ans. The Zamindars were the intermediaries between the British government and the peasants in the British revenue system. They were responsible for collecting the land revenue from the peasants and paying it to the British government. The British government gave them the right to collect the revenue in exchange for their loyalty and support. The Zamindars became powerful landlords and exploited the peasants by charging high rents and taxes.
4. How did the British revenue system lead to the growth of commercial agriculture in India?
Ans. The British revenue system led to the growth of commercial agriculture in India by promoting the cultivation of cash crops such as indigo, opium, and tea. The British introduced the Ryotwari and Mahalwari systems, which gave the peasants the right to cultivate the land and sell the crops in the market. This led to the growth of agriculture as a commercial activity and the integration of Indian agriculture into the global market.
5. What was the impact of the British land revenue policies on the Indian economy?
Ans. The British land revenue policies had a significant impact on the Indian economy. They led to the concentration of land in the hands of a few wealthy landlords and the exploitation of peasants. This led to widespread poverty and indebtedness, which hindered the growth of the Indian economy. The revenue policies also led to the growth of commercial agriculture, which benefited the British economy but had a negative impact on the Indian economy by diverting resources away from food production.
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