Deccan disturbances / social Boycott movement of Deccan Ryots- 1875

Region: Poona and Ahmednagar, Maharashtra

Causes

• Despite Ryotwari system high revenue collection and Ryots – trapped in debts and losing land to moneylenders
• Recent events aggravated situation of Cotton Crops:
  1. End of American civil war and crash of cotton prices
  2. Increased in land revenue by govt.
  3. Successive Bad harvests
• Tension among peasants and moneylenders grew – latter considered as cause of misery

Characteristics

1. Social boycott of moneylenders
2. When ineffective – attacks on houses and shops and destruction of debt related documents
3. National intelligentsia of Maharashtra supported
4. Poona Sarvajanik Society – Justice Ranade – earlier organised peasants
5. Remained almost non-violent
6. No anti-British elements

Outcomes

1. Govt. suppressed the agrarian riot
2. Govt. brought Deccan agriculturists Relief Act, 1879 (D A R Act)