The demand for the Tebhaga Peasant Movement in Bengal was for
Contents18
- Athe reduction of the share of the landlords from one-half of the crop to one-third
- Bthe grant of ownership of land to peasants as they were the actual cultivators of the land.
- Cthe uprooting of Zamindari system and the end of serfdom
- Dwriting off all peasant debts
Show answer
Answer: (A) the reduction of the share of the landlords from one-half of the crop to one-third
The word 'Tebhaga' itself means 'three shares' (te = three, bhaga = share).
The Tebhaga Movement was a militant peasant campaign launched in 1946 in Bengal by the Kisan Sabha (the peasant front of the Communist Party of India).
At that time, sharecropping peasants (bargadars/tenants) had to give HALF (1/2) of their harvest to the landlords (jotedars).
The Tebhaga movement demanded that this share be reduced to ONE-THIRD (1/3), leaving TWO-THIRDS with the cultivator — hence the name 'Tebhaga' (sharing by thirds).
It was specifically about changing the crop-sharing ratio, not about granting ownership (b), abolishing zamindari (c), or writing off debts (d).
The Floud Commission had recommended this two-thirds share for cultivators, which gave legitimacy to the demand.
The Tebhaga Movement's name directly reveals its demand - 'te' means three and 'bhaga' means share, referring to dividing the crop into three parts where tenants would keep two-thirds instead of half.
The movement gained legitimacy because the Floud Commission had already recommended that sharecropping tenants should keep two-thirds of their harvest rather than the existing half.
UPSC is testing whether students can decode the literal meaning of 'Tebhaga' to understand it was about crop-sharing ratios, not land ownership or debt relief.
Tebhaga Movement in Bengal
Modern Indian History Tebhaga Bengal peasant movement
Tebhaga Movement 1946: Crop-Sharing Demand in Bengal
Tebhaga means 'three shares' - demanded landlords get 1/3 instead of 1/2 of crop
Launched in 1946 by Kisan Sabha (Communist Party peasant front)
Movement was specifically about crop-sharing ratio, not land ownership
Floud Commission had recommended 2/3 share for cultivators
What was Tebhaga
The Tebhaga Movement was a militant peasant campaign in Bengal demanding a change in crop-sharing arrangements. The name comes from 'Te' (three) + 'Bhaga' (share) - referring to dividing the harvest into three parts instead of two.
Crop-Sharing: Before vs After Demand
Aspect | Before Tebhaga | Tebhaga Demand |
|---|---|---|
Landlord's Share | 1/2 (50%) | 1/3 (33.3%) |
Cultivator's Share | 1/2 (50%) | 2/3 (66.7%) |
Division Method | Half-half system | Three-way division |
Beneficiary | Jotedars (landlords) | Bargadars (sharecroppers) |
Key Features
Led by Kisan Sabha under Communist Party influence in 1946
Targeted jotedars (landlords) who exploited bargadars (tenant farmers)
Floud Commission had earlier recommended 2/3 share for cultivators, giving legitimacy
Movement spread across 24 districts of Bengal, particularly in North Bengal
Used militant tactics including armed resistance and seizure of crops
Question Context
This question tests understanding of the specific demand of Tebhaga - changing crop-sharing ratios from 1/2 to 1/3 for landlords. The movement was not about land ownership, zamindari abolition, or debt relief.
Trap: Confusing Tebhaga with land ownership movements - it was about crop-sharing ratios only
Trap: Mixing up the fractions - landlords' share reduced from 1/2 to 1/3, cultivators got 2/3
Trap: Confusing with other peasant demands like zamindari abolition (Santhal, Indigo) or debt relief
Memory aid: 'Te-bhaga' = 'Three shares' = dividing crop into three parts, not two
Peasant Movements in British India
Modern Indian History peasant movement
Major Peasant Movements Under British Rule
Indigo Rebellion (1859-60) - against forced indigo cultivation in Bengal
Deccan Riots (1875) - against moneylenders in Maharashtra
Champaran Satyagraha (1917) - Gandhi's first movement against indigo planters
Tebhaga (1946) and Telangana (1946-51) - post-war communist-led movements
Major Peasant Movements Comparison
Movement | Year | Region | Main Demand | Leadership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Indigo Rebellion | 1859-60 | Bengal | End forced indigo cultivation | Digambar Biswas |
Deccan Riots | 1875 | Maharashtra | Relief from moneylenders | Peasant committees |
Champaran | 1917 | Bihar | Reduce indigo plantation burden | Gandhi |
Kheda Satyagraha | 1918 | Gujarat | Remission of land revenue | Gandhi |
Bardoli | 1928 | Gujarat | Revision of land assessment | Sardar Patel |
Tebhaga | 1946 | Bengal | Reduce landlord's crop share | Kisan Sabha |
Telangana | 1946-51 | Hyderabad | Land redistribution | Communists |
Types of Peasant Grievances
# Peasant Grievances
## Revenue Issues
- High land revenue
- Revenue collection during famines
- Assessment methods
## Landlord Exploitation
- Illegal cesses
- Forced labor (begar)
- High rent
- Crop-sharing disputes
## Forced Cultivation
- Indigo plantation
- Opium cultivation
- Cash crops over food
## Moneylender Problems
- High interest rates
- Debt bondage
- Land seizures
- Manipulated accountsCommon Patterns
Economic distress - high taxes, rents, and forced cultivation created widespread poverty
Legal exploitation - colonial laws favored landlords and moneylenders over cultivators
Organized resistance - peasants formed committees and used both peaceful and violent methods
Leadership evolution - from local leaders to nationalist leaders like Gandhi
Government response - usually repression followed by limited reforms
Trap: Mixing up Champaran (indigo) with Kheda (revenue) and Bardoli (assessment)
Trap: Confusing Deccan Riots (moneylenders) with Tebhaga (crop-sharing)
Trap: Dating confusion - Tebhaga (1946) was post-war, Champaran (1917) was during WWI
Regional mix-up: Bardoli in Gujarat, Tebhaga in Bengal, Telangana in Hyderabad
Zamindari System & Land Revenue
Modern Indian History landlords Zamindari system
Zamindari System: Land Revenue & Tenant Relations
Permanent Settlement (1793) created zamindari system in Bengal, Bihar, Odisha
Zamindars collected revenue from peasants, paid fixed amount to British
System created intermediary layers between cultivator and state
Jotedars were rich peasants who sublet land, bargadars were tenant farmers
Land Revenue Systems Comparison
System | Region | Revenue Fixed With | Duration | Key Feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Permanent Settlement | Bengal, Bihar, Odisha | Zamindars | Permanent | Fixed land revenue forever |
Mahalwari | North India | Village communities | 30 years | Joint responsibility |
Ryotwari | South & West India | Individual cultivators | 20-30 years | Direct settlement |
Revenue Collection Chain
%%{init: {"flowchart": {"wrappingWidth": 460}}}%%
flowchart TD
s1["`**British Government**
Ultimate owner of all land`"]
s2["`**Zamindar**
Revenue collector, paid **fixed amount** to British`"]
s3["`**Jotedar**
Rich peasant who **sublet land** from zamindar`"]
s4["`**Bargadar**
Tenant farmer who **actually cultivated** the land`"]
s1 --> s2
s2 --> s3
s3 --> s4Problems Created
Absentee landlordism - zamindars became rent collectors, not agricultural improvers
Multiple intermediaries - each layer extracted profit, increasing burden on cultivators
Insecurity of tenure - tenants had no legal protection, could be evicted anytime
High rents - competition among tenants allowed landlords to charge excessive rents
No investment - zamindars had no incentive to improve land as revenue was fixed
Tebhaga Context
The Tebhaga Movement targeted the jotedar-bargadar relationship within this system. Jotedars demanded half the crop from bargadars (sharecroppers), leading to the demand for reducing this to one-third.
Trap: Confusing zamindar (revenue collector) with jotedar (rich peasant who sublets)
Trap: Permanent Settlement was only in Bengal, Bihar, Odisha - not all India
Trap: Revenue was fixed permanently with zamindars, but they could charge variable rent from tenants
Trap: Bargadars cultivated but didn't own land - jotedars were intermediate landholders
Communist Party & Kisan Sabha
Modern Indian History Kisan Sabha Communist Party
Communist Party of India & Peasant Organization
All India Kisan Sabha founded in 1936 as peasant wing of communist movement
CPI formed (1925) - led peasant movements in 1940s like Tebhaga and Telangana
Swami Sahajanand Saraswati was prominent Kisan Sabha leader
Focus on class struggle between landlords and peasants
Major CPI-Led Peasant Movements
Movement | Period | Region | Key Demand | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Tebhaga | 1946-47 | Bengal | Reduce landlord's crop share | Partial success, govt. intervention |
Telangana | 1946-51 | Hyderabad | Land redistribution | Suppressed by military action |
Warli Revolt | 1945 | Maharashtra | End feudal exploitation | Limited success |
Punnapra-Vayalar | 1946 | Travancore | Responsible government | Brutally suppressed |
CPI Strategy & Methods
Mass mobilization - organized peasants through kisan sabhas at village level
Armed resistance - used militant tactics in Telangana and Tebhaga movements
Class analysis - portrayed struggles as fight between feudal landlords and toiling peasants
International support - drew inspiration from Russian Revolution and Chinese peasant movements
Dual approach - combined legal agitation with underground armed activities
CPI Peasant Organization Structure
%%{init: {"flowchart": {"wrappingWidth": 460}}}%%
flowchart TD
s1["`**All India Kisan Sabha**
National level peasant organization`"]
s2["`**Provincial Kisan Sabhas**
State-level coordination (Bengal, Andhra, etc.)`"]
s3["`**District Committees**
Local leadership and planning`"]
s4["`**Village Kisan Sabhas**
Grassroots organization of peasants`"]
s1 --> s2
s2 --> s3
s3 --> s4Trap: Kisan Sabha was the peasant front of CPI, not a separate political party
Trap: CPI movements were mostly post-1946 - after Independence struggle, during transition
Trap: Telangana was against Nizam's rule, Tebhaga was in British Bengal
Chronology: CPI formed 1925, Kisan Sabha 1936, major movements 1946 onwards