Question

What was the main agreement between the indigo planters and the peasants ? (Indigo)

Hint:

• Be specific with numbers: "15 percent" or "three-twentieths" are key technical details.
• Clarify that the harvest was given as "rent," not sold for profit.

Answer 1

Concept:
• The Champaran struggle was rooted in an exploitative feudal system backed by colonial laws.
• The agreement forced the poor sharecroppers into a state of permanent debt and labor.

Step 1: Define the 15 percent arrangement
The "ancient arrangement" required the Champaran peasants to plant three-twentieths (or 15 percent) of their entire landholding with indigo.

Step 2: Identify the rental conditions
The agreement stipulated that the peasants had to surrender the entire indigo harvest to the British landlords as rent for the land.

Step 3: Explain the impact of synthetic indigo
When Germany developed synthetic indigo, the natural crop lost its value. The landlords then tried to extort compensation from the peasants to release them from this 15 percent arrangement.

Step 4: Final Conclusion
This long-term contract was the primary cause of the sharecroppers' misery, as it left them with no control over their own produce or livelihood.