The exponent of 'Mahalwari System' of land revenue was :

Question

Accepted Answer

The correct answer to the question "The exponent of 'Mahalwari System' of land revenue was" is Option 3: Holt Mackenzie.

1. **Explanation for Option 3 (Holt Mackenzie):**
   Holt Mackenzie was a British official who played a pivotal role in the development and implementation of the Mahalwari system of land revenue in India during the British colonial period. Introduced in 1822, the Mahalwari system was designed to be a middle ground between the Zamindari and Ryotwari systems. It was primarily implemented in the North-Western Provinces, parts of Central India, and the Punjab region. Mackenzie proposed this system to address the inefficiencies and inequities of the existing revenue systems. The Mahalwari system involved the assessment of land revenue based on the collective responsibility of a village or a group of villages (mahal), rather than individual landholders. This system aimed to simplify revenue collection and ensure a more equitable distribution of tax burdens among the villagers.

2. **Explanation for why other options are incorrect:**

- **Option 1 (Captain Alexander Reed):** Captain Alexander Reed was not associated with the Mahalwari system. Instead, he is known for his involvement in the early development of the Ryotwari system in the Madras Presidency, which was later refined by Thomas Munro. The Ryotwari system focused on direct settlement with individual cultivators, which is distinct from the collective approach of the Mahalwari system.

- **Option 2 (Thomas Munro):** Thomas Munro was a key figure in the establishment of the Ryotwari system in the Madras Presidency. His work focused on direct settlements with individual farmers, bypassing intermediaries like zamindars. While Munro's contributions to land revenue systems were significant, they were not related to the Mahalwari system, which was Holt Mackenzie's initiative.

- **Option 4 (Lord Cornwallis):** Lord Cornwallis is best known for implementing the Permanent Settlement of Bengal in 1793, which established the Zamindari system. This system involved fixing land revenue with zamindars, who were responsible for collecting taxes from the peasants. The Permanent Settlement was quite different from the Mahalwari system, which focused on collective responsibility at the village level. Therefore, Lord Cornwallis was not associated with the Mahalwari system.

In conclusion, Holt Mackenzie is rightly credited as the exponent of the Mahalwari system due to his significant contributions to its formulation and implementation, making Option 3 the correct answer.