Chapter 35: Vijayanagara Land Reform Act
In the Hampi palace, Vijay came out of the main hall, looking tired, along with him came the imperial council members. They looked like walking zombies with dishevelled hair and black circles around their eyes. Despite this, you could still see the maniacal expressions on their faces.
They spent an entire month polishing up the plans for the major reforms Vijay is about to undertake.
Within a day, The news of the reforms spread throughout the empire at a very rapid rate.
Vijay began his reforms by addressing one of the major problems hindering the growth of Vijayanagar towards modernization: the feudal landlord system. Currently, most of the farmers are tied to the land of the Zamindar. The majority of the crop output goes into the pockets of the landlords and the nobles, leaving them with almost nothing to use except for consumption.
At least in the Vijayanagar Empire, farmers could avoid starvation. In the Mughal Empire, 100% of the proceeds from the pheasants went into the pockets of the nobles and zamindars, and the pheasants just got enough to sustain their lives in a good year Or else: (
Deccan Famine of 1630-1632: This famine was one of the worst in Indian history, causing an estimated 2.5 million deaths. It was caused by a combination of factors, including a severe drought, crop failures, and a locust infestation. The famine was exacerbated by the Mughal Empire's military campaigns in the Deccan region, which disrupted agricultural production and displaced people.
Great Famine of 1695-1696: This famine affected a large part of India, from the Deccan Plateau in the south to Bengal in the east. It was caused by a series of droughts and floods, as well as economic mismanagement by the Mughal government. The famine is estimated to have caused over 1 million deaths.
Bengal Famine of 1709-1710: This famine was particularly severe in Bengal, where it is estimated to have killed over 3 million people. It was caused by a prolonged drought, as well as the Mughal Empire's policy of grain exports, which depleted food stocks in the region.
Doomsday Famine of 1737-1738: This famine was the worst in Indian history, causing an estimated 10 million deaths. It was caused by a combination of natural disasters, including a severe drought, floods, and earthquakes, as well as political instability and economic mismanagement by the Mughal Empire.
Famine of 1783-1784: This famine affected a large part of India, from the Deccan Plateau in the south to the Punjab in the northwest. It was caused by a series of droughts and floods, as well as the ongoing political and economic crisis of the Mughal Empire. The famine is estimated to have caused over 1 million deaths. )
. There is very little difference between the farmers in the Mughal Empire and slaves.
While Vijay could have considered waiting until the industrialization of the empire to implement the reforms, similar to how the UK did in his previous life, it's important to note that the cost of reforming the system at that point would likely have been significantly higher. It's worth considering that the population of the UK at the time of their reforms was not as large as that of the Vijayanagara Empire now, making the task somewhat easier for the British compared to Vijayanagara. The nobles and zamindars, having greater resources, would probably have fully exploited industrialization, thereby enhancing their power and influence. The Russian Empire vividly illustrates this phenomenon. The nobles and the oligarchs within the Czarist Russian Empire had already cornered a significant portion of the resources before the empire eventually collapsed. A Great example is when the Czarist Russian nobles chose to discard leftover milk into rivers rather than provide it to the starving Population, to prevent the devaluation of the product. This resentment among the common people ultimately culminated in the establishment of the"Red War Bear" Soviet Union.
Even if he compromised on this issue, the feudal landlords and the zamindar class would still oppose many other modernization reforms he would implement. Despite the resistance from the nobles and zamindars right now, Vijay believed it was wiser to eliminate potential threats within the Empire before it could become cancer to its progress.
Vijay's Ambition is to unify the subcontinent and make the dream of Akhand Bharat a reality, and he's not na?ve enough to believe that this can be achieved without some level of Bloodshed. Throughout history, major countries have been established at the cost of countless lives and struggles.
No matter how they promote freedom and equality, One must remember that America was built on the graves of the entire race of Native Americans. No matter how noble they believe themselves to be, One must recall that Europe was constructed on the countless blood and bones of the African slaves. No matter if they claim to abolish slavery, One must recollect that the British Empire was erected on the countless coffins and genocides of Indian Labourers. And finally No matter how fair they perceive themselves to be, One must recognise that modern communist China was founded upon the purge of the whole merchant class, This is the true foundation where the mighty empires stand, Built on a mountain of Sin.
Knowing all this history from his past life, Vijay is not so arrogant and self-centred as to believe that he could do any better. His main aim now is to minimize the bloodshed that is about to occur to the best of his ability. Therefore, he has chosen to take action while he still maintains a military advantage over the noble class, before initiating the modernization of the Empire.
According to his outlook on the empire, Vijayanagara is like a lean man now. what he has to do now is to remove the tumour that is about to grow on the body and reinforce the bones and foundation of the body, before putting on weight and developing the muscle for future conquest.
Soon, the sutradaras (News Boys) Vijay sent to spread the news of the reform reached all the major towns and cities of the Vijayanagara Empire.
"Listen, one and all! The great and benevolent king, His Royal Highness Sri Vijay Deva Raya, has enacted the Vijayanagar Land Reform Act..."
Such voices resonated across the entire empire.
According to the Vijayanagara Land Reform Act:
1. Farmers who have worked on zamindars' fields for more than 20 years can claim ownership of the land they have worked on.
2. Excess land held by zamindars and nobles will be repurchased by the royal family at market prices, with the intention of redistributing it to peasants and farmers residing on the land.
3. Peasants working for zamindars and nobles for less than 20 years now have the right to demand a fixed salary from the landowner to work in the fields.
4. Agricultural land tax will henceforth be reduced to 10% of the yearly proceeds in the form of grain or currency to every citizen of the empire.
5. Tax collection rights of the zamindars and the nobles have been revoked effective immediately.
6. A Bureau of Land Audit will be established in every major city and town, responsible for the inspection and survey of the land. Legal land deeds will be provided to landowners based on inspections.
7. Private property of any individual cannot be seized by the Empire under any circumstances. The Empire has the authority to reclaim land only if an individual violates the law or in exceptional situations.
8. In case of inheritance, Land Owners can freely transfer land below 20 acres. For land over 20 acres, a 20% inheritance tax of the average land value over the past 10 years will be paid to the Empire.
9. All land transactions must be documented with the Land Audit Department, ensuring the recognition of the new owner's rights. Land transfers carried out privately without proper land deeds will not be acknowledged by the Empire.
10. Citizens of the Empire possess the right to develop mines discovered on their land. but, if a resource holds strategic significance, the Kingdom retains the primary procurement right and the power to prohibit exports. Selling such a resource secretly could be considered treason.
Once the sutradhar's (News Boys) speech concluded, a colossal earthquake of emotion reverberated throughout the empire. Common folk, farmers, and peasants were overwhelmed with joy, offering prayers to Lord Shiva and other deities they prayed, thanking them for blessing them with a benevolent ruler like Vijay Deva Raya.
Before the nobles had a chance to respond, another piece of news emerged that made the empire tremble. However, this time, it was the Police department who took action, delivering notices to the panchayats of various towns and villages.
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