The Bengal Famine of 1769-70 was worsened by

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Locust attacks

Rat infestation

High levels of taxation

Smallpox epidemic

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UPSC CDS-2 – 2022

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The Bengal Famine of 1769-70 was significantly worsened by high levels of taxation imposed by the East India Company.

– The famine occurred after the East India Company gained control over Bengal following the Battle of Plassey (1757) and the grant of Diwani rights (1765).
– The Company’s focus on maximizing revenue collection through oppressive taxation policies, combined with discouraging the cultivation of food crops in favor of cash crops like indigo, exacerbated the impact of the drought.
– The Company also hoarded grain and did little to provide relief, prioritizing profit over the welfare of the population.

– While natural factors like drought contributed to the initial crop failure, the severity and duration of the famine, leading to an estimated 10 million deaths, are largely attributed to the economic policies and mismanagement by the East India Company.
– Locust attacks, rat infestation, and epidemics can contribute to famines, but in this specific historical event, the Company’s policies were the primary human factor worsening the natural calamity.

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