The Impact of British Rule and Peasant Uprisings in 19th Century Assam : A Historical Study

The British policy of exploitation had a significant impact on the lives people in Assam. The enhancement of land revenue and imposition of new taxes by the British government forced the people to live in miserable conditions. The peasant community of the state was a major segment that suffered greatly during the colonial period. The exploited peasants in the rural areas, also known as rayats, assembled through village assembly called raij mels to express their resentment against the unjustified assessment of land revenue and the imposition of unfamiliar new taxes. As a result, a series of peasant uprisings broke out in various parts of the region, particularly in tribal populated areas, in protest against British rule. Thus, peasant discontent became a significant feature in the context of the freedom movement in Assam. This paper aims to examine the impact of the British rule on the peasants of Assam, as well as the popular peasant uprisings that occurred in various parts of the State.