Administrative System of the Marathas c18.s24.20

c18.s24.20

The result of this liberal policy was that Wellington during his first campaign in the Maratha country found it "highly cultivated" and Elphinstone recommended the continuation of the Maratha system after the conquest of the Peshwa's territories by the English. The land revenue system of the Peshwas will not suffer by comparison with that of contemporary Ireland. The Maratha peasant was certainly better off than his Irish brother and he had practically gained the fixity of tenure and a fair rent for which the Irish were vainly crying even in the first decade of the 19th century. The Maratha peasants had been relieved of forced labour by Peshwa Madhava Rao I, while the French were still labouring under similar disadvantages until the red flood of the Revolution washed away all inequities. But theirs were not rights fought for and bought by blood. The gifts of a paternal despot could be taken away by another less benevolent, and the whole system was upset by that infamous prince Baji Rao II "born of the weakness of Raghunath Rao and wickedness of Anandi Bai." He reintroduced the old Muhammadan system of revenue-farming abolished by Shivaji so long ago. Mahals and Mamlats were sold to the highest bidder and the Peshwa's favourites were induced to bid high. The result was that Districts changed hands every year, and Mamlatdars no longer felt any interest in the welfare of the Rayats. If the Patil refused to assist the revenue-farmers, collection was made without his agency. So even the excellent village system of Maharashtra failed to be a remedy against the misrule of a wicked man.