Agrarian Development in Colonial India

Peter Robb is Professor Emeritus (formerly Professor of the History of India and Pro-Director) at SOAS University of London, and Fellow of the Royal Asiatic and Royal Historical Societies. His book, Ancient Rights and Future Comfort (1997) is a precursor of this book. Also on Bihar are Evolution of British Policy towards Indian Politics (1992), Liberalism, Modernity and the Nation (2007), Peasants, Political Economy and Law (2007), and Ideas Matter (2020). His other books include, Government of India and Reform (1976), History of India (2002; 2011), and, on early Calcutta, Sex and Sensibility (2011), Sentiment and Self (2011), and Useful Friendship (2014). He has also edited or co-edited ten collections concerning Indo-British relations, protest, identity, ideologies, race, Dalit movements, labour, rural South Asia, agriculture and development.

List of Tables. Abbreviations used in the notes. Preface. Introduction: 1. States in development 2. Agenda and context Part I. States and societies 3. State matters 4. Property through law 5. The land in question Part II. Science and agriculture 6. Science and superiority 7. Benefit and loss Part III. Agrarian Bihar: aspects and examples 8. Active Government? Chaukidars and commerce 9. Famine, borrowing and debt 10. The Son canals and Nasriganj estate 11. Village irrigation and embankments 12. Interpreting agricultural production 13. Sugaring the pill? 14. Production, privilege, prejudice and poverty. Sources and References. Index.