Systems implemented in British India

Zamindari System

The Zamindari or Permanent Land Tax System was a land tax system implemented by Lord Cornwallis in Bengal, Bihar and Orissa in 1793. According to this, the right to collect taxes was given to some individuals or tax collectors in exchange for a share of the zamindars to the government. All public land came under their control. The amount that farmers had to pay as tax under the permanent land tax system was sixty percent of the yield. John Shore was an official who played a major role in formulating the permanent land tax system.

Ryotwari System

Ryotwari was a land tax system implemented by Thomas Munro in Madras and later in Bombay State in 1818. This law recognized the farmers as owners. They had to pay a high rent to the government. Ryotwari was a land tax system in which the government collected taxes directly from the farmers. The government had the power to evict them.

Mahalwari System

The Mahalwari system was implemented in northwestern India. Under the Mahalwari system, the villagers could own the entire agricultural land in the village. The land tax was determined for the village as a whole. The village headman was responsible for collecting the tax. For this, the village headman received a five percent commission.

Subsidiary Alliance system

The British implemented the Subsidiary Alliance system when Lord Wellesley was the Governor-General (1798 - 1805). The Indian ruler who entered into an alliance had to maintain a permanent British army within his territory, pay a sum for its expenses, and appoint a British representative (resident) in his country. The agreement stipulated that no other European would be appointed without the consent of the British and that no peace talks would be entered into with another Indian ruler without consulting the Governor-General. Instead, the British took on the responsibility of protecting it from enemies. The Nizam of Hyderabad was the first to join the Subsidiary Alliance system.