Unit - Anti-Colonial Movements and the Birth of Nationalism a. Restorative rebellions – Agitation of this type relates to attempts to restore old order and old social relations. b. Religious Movements – Such agitations were led by religious leaders who fought for the liberation of the local populace by restructuring society on certain religious principles.
c. Social Banditry – The leaders of such movements were considered criminal by the British and the traditional elite but were looked upon by their people as heroes or champions of their cause. d. Mass Insurrection – Usually leaderless and spontaneous uprising.
Changes in the Revenue System The East India Company restructured the Mughal revenue system across India in such a manner that it increased the financial burden on the peasants. There was no widespread system of private ownership of the land in pre-British India. Subletting of Land The practice of letting out and subletting of land complicated the agrarian relations. The zamindar often sublet land to many subordinate lords who in return collected a fixed amount of revenue from the peasant.
This increased the tax burden on the peasants. (a) Peasant Uprising Peasant revolts began to erupt in the early th century and continued till the very end of British rule in India. Farazi Movement Farazi movement was launched by Haji Shariatullah in . After the death of Shariatullah in , the rebellion was led by his son Dudu Mian who called upon the peasants not to pay tax.
It gained popularity on a simple doctrine that land Haji Shariatullah and all wealth should be equally enjoyed by the common folk. Dudu Mian laid emphasis on the egalitarian nature of religion and declared that “Land belongs to God”, and collecting rent or levying taxes on it was therefore against divine law. Large numbers of peasants were mobilised through a network of village organisations. After the death of Dudu Mian in , it was revived in the 1870s by Noah Mian.
Wahhabi Rebellion in Barasat The Wahhabi rebellion was an anti-