| Abstract |
This paper traces the historical evolution of land governance in India leading up to the Land Acquisition Act (LAA) of 1894, situating it within broader colonial need of economic
extraction. It explores how British land policies enabled the forced cultivation of opium and
establishment of tea plantations to correct Britain’s trade imbalance with China and sustain
global dominance. These extractive systems, rooted in the doctrine of eminent domain,
dispossessed millions and fuelled the indentured labour system. The paper also highlights
resistance movements, both armed and non-violent, that arose in response to these
injustices. It lays the foundation for examining deeper historical shifts in Indian land tenure. |