Show how the power of the Jotedars within a village was more effective than that of the Zamindars.

When zamindars were in crisis in the eighteenth century, a group of rich peasants consolidated its position in the villages of Bengal. This class of rich peasants came to be known as jotedars. They had a control over vast areas of land. Sometimes they had even a control on many thousand acres of land. They even controlled local trade and money lending. They exercised immense power over the poor cultivators of the region. The following reasons showing that Jotedars within a village was more effective than that of the Zamindars.

I. Jotedars lived in villages. So, they had a lot of influence on many villagers.

II. Jotedars opposed the efforts of the zamindars to increase the jama of the village.

III. Jotedars mobilized riots to deliberately delay payments of revenue to the zamindars.

IV. Jotedars controlled the local trade and money lending.

V. Jotedars had a control over several areas of land. They even purchased land when the estates of the zamindars were being auctioned for failure to make payment of the revenue.

VI. Jotedars were holding benami lands.

VII. Indirectly controlled the riots by advancing money, controlling local trade.