Zabt and Zamindars


 
 
Concept Explanation
 

Zabt and Zamindars

Zabt and Zamindars: The main source of income available to Mughal rulers was tax on the produce of the peasantry. In most places, peasants paid taxes through the rural elites, that is, the headman or the local chieftain. The Mughals used one term – zamindars – to describe all intermediaries, whether they were local headmen of village or powerful chieftains. Akbar’s revenue minister, Todar mal, carried out a careful survey of crop yields’, prices and areas cultivated for a 10-years period, 1570-1580. On the basis of this data, tax was fixed on each crop in cash. Each province was divided into revenue circles with its own schedule of revenue rates for individual crops. This revenue system was known as zabt. It was prevalent in those areas where Mughal administrators could survey the land and keep very careful accounts. This was not possible in provinces such as Gujarat and Bengal.

In some areas the Zamindars  exercised a great deal of power . The exploitation by Mughal administrations could drive them to rebellion . sometimes Zamindars and peasants of the same caste allied in rebelling against Mughal authority . These peasants revolts challenged the end of the seventeenth century.

 
 
 


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