zamindari (alternate spelling: zemindari) system

The zamindari system was a land revenue arrangement used in India during British rule, where zamindars (landlords) owned large areas of land. They collected taxes from farmers who cultivated these lands and then paid a portion to the government. Zamindars acted as intermediaries, managing land and taxes, often accumulating significant wealth. This system centralized land control in the hands of landlords, sometimes leading to exploitation of peasants and land disputes. Post-independence, the system was largely abolished in favor of direct land reforms to distribute land more equitably among farmers.