Class 12 History - PUNJAB
Peasants Zamindars and the State
The chapter 'Peasants, Zamindars and the State' explores the agrarian society of the Mughal Empire from the sixteenth to seventeenth centuries. It highlights the complex relationship between the agricultural producers (peasantry), intermediaries (zamindars), and the ruling imperial administration (the state). Students learn about rural demographics, agricultural production, the revenue system including zabt and Ain-i-Akbari, and the monetization of the rural economy. This chapter is vital for the Punjab Board (PSEB) Class 12 History exams as it tests structural understanding of medieval Indian socio-economic history through primary administrative sources like the Ain-i-Akbari.
Start Learning FreeKey Concepts
Peasantry (Khud-kashta and Pahi-kashta)
Khud-kashta peasants lived and cultivated land in their own villages, while Pahi-kashta were non-resident cultivators who held land elsewhere on a contractual basis.
Zamindars
A powerful landed class in Mughal India who did not directly engage in state-level cultivation but extracted revenue, held superior rights over land, and maintained military resources.
Ain-i-Akbari
Commissioned by Akbar and written by Abu'l Fazl, this monumental text provides detailed statistics on the Mughal empire's administration, agrarian yield, prices, and revenue systems.
Zabt System
A revenue system introduced under the Mughals where a cash revenue rate (naqd) was fixed on each crop based on an extensive survey of land productivity and past yields.
Jins-i Kamil
Also known as perfect crops, these were cash crops like cotton, sugarcane, and oilseeds that brought higher revenue to the Mughal state.
Important Formulas
Board Exam Info
This chapter typically carries around 6-8 marks in the Punjab (PSEB) Class 12 History board examination. Questions commonly include short-answer questions defining key terms like 'Zamindar' or 'Pahi-kashta', source-based questions from the Ain-i-Akbari, and long-answer essays on the agrarian relations or revenue collection methods during the Mughal period.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Khud-kashta and Pahi-kashta peasants?
Khud-kashta were resident cultivators who lived in the village where they owned land, whereas Pahi-kashta were non-resident cultivators who came from outside to farm on contractual terms.
What role did zamindars play in the Mughal agrarian society?
Zamindars were intermediaries who collected revenue for the state, maintained armed forces, held extensive personal lands (milkiyat), and often acted as local lords exerting considerable social and economic power.
Why is the Ain-i-Akbari important for studying this period?
Written by Abu'l Fazl, it provides exhaustive data on Mughal administration, agrarian yields, prices, and taxes, serving as a primary administrative document of Akbar's reign.
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