A History of Agriculture in India v2.c74.s9.2

v2.c74.s9.2

The peasant's right to the permanent and hereditary occupancy of the land he tilled was saleable, though on occasion none might think it worth buying. The peasants could transmit their land to their heirs and could transfer it by sale or mortgage, but always subject to the condition that the revenue due was paid. But there was no question of really free alienation—the right to abandon or dispose of the land as its holders might choose—which is an essential feature of modern proprietary right. If in one sense the land belonged to the peasant, in another the peasant belonged to the land. He could not (unless, perhaps, he found a successor) leave it or refuse to cultivate it. The village officials bound themselves not to allow any cultivator to leave his place.