ABSTRACT

The chapter examines the nature and extent of social inequality in rural Maharashtra in the context of agricultural transformation with reference to Satara, which is the highly agricultural modernised district of the state. The analysis and discussion at the district as well as the village levels reveals that such agricultural modernisation as was introduced by the British Raj was based on exploitative land, labour, and credit relations, and was promoted with an eye to colonial interests. The modernisation that independent India has witnessed has improved the lot of peasants of all categories, but the large farmers have come to dominate rural society. Social equality thus remains elusive.