Consider the following statements regarding the British policy in Awadh immediately after its annexation in 1856 :
- The taluqdars were dispossessed of their estates but allowed to retain their arms and forts.
- A Summary Revenue Settlement was made in 1856 assuming that the taluqdars were outsiders.
- The British believed in taking revenue directly from the peasants by removing the taluqdars.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?
Detailed Explanation:
Statement 1 — Incorrect. Prior to annexation, Awadh's taluqdars maintained private armies and forts. After the British takeover in 1856, they were not merely dispossessed — they were also disarmed and their forts completely destroyed. The statement wrongly claims they were "allowed to retain their arms and forts."
Statement 2 — Correct. The first British land revenue settlement in Awadh was the Summary Settlement of 1856, explicitly based on the assumption that taluqdars were "interlopers" (outsiders/intruders) who had no permanent or hereditary stakes in the land — allegedly having seized control through force and fraud.
Statement 3 — Correct. The primary objective of the Summary Settlement was to bypass the taluqdars entirely and settle land revenue directly with the actual cultivators (peasants/ryots). British land revenue officers believed this would:
- Reduce peasant exploitation
- Increase state revenue streams
Key Connection: The dispossession and humiliation of taluqdars under this policy was one of the major causes of the 1857 Revolt — they joined the rebellion en masse to reclaim their lost estates and honour.
Question 1 of 1 Political, Economic and Military Causes
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