Why did written deeds and bonds, rare in the past, spread in the Deccan countryside under colonial rule?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → The British distrusted deals based on informal understanding
Option (1) The ryots demanded written proof of the loans they repaid — Incorrect. The ryots feared the written word and did not know what they signed. The push for bonds did not come from them.
Option (2) The village headmen needed written records for revenue — Incorrect. Revenue records are a different matter. The spread of deeds concerned loans between ryots and moneylenders.
Option (3) The British distrusted deals based on informal understanding — Correct. The British wanted the terms of every deal stated in contracts, deeds and bonds, and regulated by law. A deed that was not legally enforceable had no value to them.
Option (4) The Bombay cotton merchants wanted written contracts for supply — Incorrect. Export merchants gave credit during the boom. The spread of deeds came from British ideas of law and contract.
NCERT (2026-27): “3.6 The experience of injustice … |