Question

Analyse the role of Jotedars in the Permanent Settlement system.

Answer 1

Jotedars played a significant role in the rural agrarian structure during the Permanent Settlement in Bengal. Unlike zamindars who were recognized as revenue collectors, jotedars were substantial landholders with actual control over the land and its produce.

• Jotedars often owned large tracts of land and leased it to under-ryots or sharecroppers.
• They controlled local rural society and had influence over village affairs and caste panchayats.
• They resisted the authority of zamindars and at times refused to pay rent or manipulated production records.
• Their control over agrarian resources made them powerful intermediaries between peasants and colonial administration.

Thus, jotedars emerged as influential rural elites, shaping agrarian dynamics and challenging the zamindari dominance.