Caste Inequality,Land Relations and Agrarian Distress in Contemporary Agrarian Economy of Bardhaman,West Bengal

Abstract

The contemporary agrarian economy of rural West Bengal is characterized by distinct division of the farming community along caste and class lines. Unlike the belief that the communist regime in the state has significantly reduced instances of caste and class inequalities, the present article based on a fieldwork in Paarhaati village of Memary II block of Purba Bardhaman district argues in favour of the persistence of such inequalities till date. With the help of narratives collected and instances captured in a year-long fieldwork in the village, the present article attempts to bring forth the existence of domination of economically and politically powerful castes of landowners, deprivation of agricultural and landless labourers, formation of factions at the local party level, lack of initiative from the panchayat and increasing intervention of merchants, traders and middlemen that is hindering social, economic and political developments in these regions. The article argues that the ‘change’ proclaimed by the new regime has done nothing exceptional for the contemporary rural economy than the previous regime.