Under the Company’s rule the revenue demand of the state was less than that under the Mughals. Yet peasants’ revolt was very common during the Company’s rule in India. There were various causes that led the peasants to rebel against the British.
First, under the British the peasants was subjected to exploitation by new social classes like the zamindars, money-lenders, etc. other than the state itself. Second, under the new concept of property in land introduced by the British a zamindar who was also the owner of the land had the right to evict the ryots according to his sweet will.
Third, another cause of the peasant unrest was the oppression by a class of money-lenders who emerged in the society during the early years of the British rule. Fourth, fragmentation of cultivate land also caused much hardship that led to peasants’ rebellion.