4 INTRODUCTORY REMARKS 



the whole community and may bring the largest measure 

 of prosperity to the country. This can be done only by 

 devising a system of land tenure the principal object of which 

 will be to promote the improvement of agriculture. I hold 

 that the landlord system is not bad in itself ; and that if the 

 landlords and in this name I include all talukdars and big 

 zemindars can be induced to take an enlightened view of 

 their responsibilities, to undertake the development of their 

 estates and to promote the welfare of their tenants, far 

 more benefit will accrue to the country from the maintenance 

 of the landlord system than by seeking to extend any system 

 / of peasant proprietorship, or sub-proprietorship, in which I 

 include the occupancy tenant system. The present time, 

 when improved methods of agriculture are receiving atten- 

 tion and exciting much interest in this country, appears to 

 me more favorable than any previous period for inducing 

 landlords to adopt more liberal methods of managing their 

 estates ; but if they fail to realize their duties as land- 

 owners, strong measures should be taken to dispossess them 

 and either to replace them by better landlords, or to 

 facilitate the purchase of full proprietary rights by the 

 tenants. I am altogether against introducing the occupancy 

 system in Oudh ; and believe that it must be gradually 

 abolished in the Province of Agra. Divided control over 

 land means stagnation. 



Government has given the talukdars and zemindars their 

 present position ; and it would be unjust to place fetters 

 upon all of them without discrimination, i.e., upon those who 

 are good as well as those who are bad landlords. Steps must 

 be taken to educate the landlords and their agents in the 

 proper methods of estate management ; and some judicial 

 machinery must be devised whereby those landlords who fail 

 grossly in their duties shall be dispossessed. The analogy of 

 arbitration boards in industrial disputes suggests itself, but 



