Civil Uprisings in India | Causes and Characteristics Before 1857

The word ‘civil’ refers to everything that is not related to defence or military matters. However, civil uprisings typically involve movements led by deposed rulers, landlords, zamindars, poligars (territorial holders in South India), and religious leaders.
The mass support for such uprisings usually came from peasants oppressed by high taxes, unemployed artisans, and demobilized soldiers, although the leaders were often former elites.

The imposition of Company rule led to economic instability, changes in the administration, and a land revenue system that harmed the general population.
Many zamindars and poligars who lost control over their land and revenues sought to resist the colonial rule due to personal grievances.
The ego of traditional zamindars and poligars was wounded by being replaced by government officials and a new class of merchants and moneylenders.
Colonial policies led to the ruin of handicraft industries, which devastated artisans and left them without traditional patrons, such as princes and feudal lords.
Religious leaders, such as priests, pundits, and maulvis, often instigated hatred against foreign rule because their status depended on the traditional elites, whose power diminished under colonial control.
The foreign nature of British rulers and their disrespectful treatment of native peoples fueled resentment and defiance.

Most civil uprisings were a result of shared conditions, even though they occurred in different times and places.
The semi-feudal leaders who led these uprisings were generally conservative and desired to restore previous social structures and political relations.
These uprisings were often localized, addressing local grievances, and had effects that were limited to specific regions.

Civil Uprisings in Indian History: Causes, Characteristics, and Key Insights