Feudalism in British India: Causes and Consequences

Abstract

The objective of the current study is to explore the causes and consequences of the promotion of feudalism in British India. Feudalism was a part of the feudal society where the peasants displayed loyalty to their Lords and received land from them got confirmation of the security of their lives and land. When the British established their government in India, it was very problematic for them to understand the Jagirdari and Zamindari system, because the nature of European feudalism was different from feudalism in India. The colonial powers provided the Jagirdars full support to use their power and political authority in their area. As a consequence, they operated for the British government but also followed their interests, and when colonial rule was over, they continued this practice. The nature of the research is qualitative. The historical and analytical approach is applied for the analysis of data. In the light of analysis, it is concluded that British imperial power promoted feudalism in British India to save their political interests.