Ryotwari system of revenue collection in India, introduced by the British, was based on the _______.

The correct answer is Ricardian theory of rent.Key Points

• Ryotwari system:-
  • The Ryotwari system​ of revenue collection in India was introduced by the British during their colonial rule.
  • This system was based on the Ricardian theory of rent, which states that rent is the surplus income earned by landowners due to the differential fertility of land.
  • Under the Ryotwari system, individual farmers or ryots were directly responsible for paying land revenue to the government.
  • This system was prevalent in areas where landownership was fragmented and there were no intermediaries between the government and the farmers.

Additional Information

• Smith's theory :-
  • It​ is based on the idea that rent is paid for the use of land that has a fixed supply and is immobile.
• Malthusian theory :-
  • It suggests that as population growth increases, land becomes scarce and rents increase, leading to a decline in living standards.
• Marx's theory :-
  • It​ is based on the idea that rent is a form of exploitation of the labor of tenant farmers by landowners who hold a monopoly on land.