THE ROLES OF THE

N a w a b s
w a n s a n d
D i
B e n g a l
in
1750–1852

Presentation by Nasrin AKter

 TABLE OF

Contents
01. Roles of the Diwans and 04. Organisation
Nawabs in Bengal 05. Economic effects
02. Dual administration 06. Social effects
03. causes 07. Ultimate result
 Nawab
The Subahdar ( also the general administrator od
Province) became the first Nawab by Auragzeb. The
Nawabs continued to issue coins in the name of the
Mughal Emperor, but for all practical purposes, the
Nawabs governed as independent monarch. Murshid
Quli Khan was the first and Siraj-Ud-Daula was the
last Nawasb of Bengal
 Diwan
In the Mughal period, the term diwan stood for
a person, the head of the revenue department,
and the office was known as diwani;
later, the provincial government was divided
into nizamat (general administration) and
diwani (revenue department). In Bengal Murshid
quli khan was the last great and important
diwan appointed by the last great Mughal
emperor Aurangzeb.
Nawab to Dewan
After the Battle of Buxer, in 1764, the Mughal
Emperor granted the Company the Diwani (the
right to collect revenue) in Bengal and Bihar in
1765. The term Diwani thus referred to British
(fiscal) suzerainty over parts of India during
the early British Raj.
In the Mughal period, the term diwan stood for
a person, the head of the revenue department,
and the office was known as diwani
 r N a w a b i
EIC a f t e
Era

01 Administration of EIC 02. Territory of EIC

From 1765 to 1772, the company shared
revenues from Bengal but took no
responsibility in administering it. This
system came to be known as ‘dual
administration’
In 1760, three large and resourceful
districts of Bengal (Burdwan, Midnapur
and Chittagong) were acquired.
The revenue administration of Bengal,
Bihar and Orissa was acquired in 1765.
DUAL ADMINISTRATION OF 01 Organization
EIC

ground
Robert Clive set up the infamous dual system of

Back
government administration in Bengal after the
Treaty of Allahabad (1765).
Under the ‘dual’ or double government system,
the Company got both the Diwani (revenue) and
Nizamat (civil administration) functions of
Bengal from two different sources- Diwani from
02 Causes the Mughal emperor and Nizamat from the
Nawab of Bengal.
Clive was astute enough not to take on Bengal's administration
directly. He was well aware that the company's servants were Note: In 1769, the Company divided Bengal
unfamiliar with the languages, customs, traditions, and laws that into thirty districts and appointed one
applied to Bengalis. If they had been entrusted with the English supervisor in each district. But the
administration of Bengal in the event of Clive's occupation, they measure yielded no fruitful result.
would have made a very bad impression.
 DUAL ADMINISTRATION OF EIC
Economic effect
EIC made a lot of money from this illegal business. On the other hand, the merchants of
Bengal suffered greatly as a result of excessive taxation. As a result, the Dual
Government dealt a devastating blow to local commerce and trade.
Local weavers of Silk and cotton were forced to work exclusively for the company by the
company's employees. The company also took control of a number of other small local
businesses.
Due to a decrease in revenue collection, the decline of agriculture under the Dual
Government eventually led to the decline of the Company's income. As a result, Bengal
saw Clive's Dual Government as a failure.
The great famine of 1770 was an unintended consequence of the aforementioned
difficulties.
 DUAL ADMINISTRATION OF EIC
Social effect
Due to a lack of funds, the Nawab was unable to complete any public works. The
Nawab also lacked the authority to enforce the law. As a result, lawlessness
reigned supreme in most of Bengal.
The Nawab was unable to make any provisions for the development of Bengal's
agriculture, such as irrigation. Due to a lack of funds, he was unable to advance
loans to needy farmers.
The cotton cloth industry which was the most developed one in Bengal was also
ruined. The representatives of the company arbitrarily decided the quality of the
cloth, its quantity of production and its price much against the interest of the
artisans. If any artisan or worker protested, he was severely punished or tortured
Theft and rubbery cases have increased by leaps and bounds. Due to a lack of
justice, the common people had to endure a great deal.
 DUAL ADMINISTRATION OF EIC
Ult imate result
The Dual Government in Bengal failed miserably.
It destroyed the trade, industry and agriculture of Bengal.
In 1770, Bengal suffered from a severe famine and nearly one-third population of
Bengal fell victim to its ravages. Two-thirds of Bengal's productive land became
uncultivated due to lack of cultivating manpower. Though, of course, it was
primarily because of the failure of rains, there is no doubt that the sufferings of
the people had increased manifold because of the misgovernance of Bengal under
the system of “Dual Government”.
The Company also did not remain unaffected by the evils of its administration. Its
income both from revenue and trade suffered. The practice of private trade which
remained the primary concern of its servants, also proved disastrous to the
fortunes of the Company. Thus, the Dual Government in Bengal failed ignominiously.