Land, Power, and Emancipation: The Historical Demise of the Khoti System and Its Social Consequences

Manasi Sandeep Mohite and Rahul Shashikant Gaikwad
Additional contact information
Rahul Shashikant Gaikwad: Investments Key Limited, Canary Wharf, UK

No k5edn_v1, SocArXiv from Center for Open Science

Abstract: This research critically examines the Khoti system in the Konkan region of western India as a historical manifestation of agrarian exploitation, wherein intermediary landlords imposed exorbitant rents upon cultivators – predominantly from marginalized castes – systematically depriving them of land ownership, rights, and dignity. Situating this feudal framework within the broader socio-economic discourse, the study investigates how entrenched hierarchies sustained structural inequality and economic disenfranchisement. Central to the analysis is Dr. B. R. Ambedkar’s constitutional vision, which redefined Indian democracy through the inseparable pursuit of social and economic justice. His transformative legal architecture not only dismantled exploitative land relations but also facilitated the emergence of an inclusive middle class across diverse sectors. Employing a historical-analytical methodology, this paper interrogates the transition from feudal dependency to constitutional empowerment by engaging with economic theory, constitutional provisions on equality, abolition of untouchability, and land reforms. By juxtaposing pre- and post-Constitutional realities, the research elucidates how juridical reform can function as an instrument of social emancipation and equitable redistribution. Ultimately, this study contributes to global discourses on agrarian justice by positioning India’s constitutional experience as a replicable model for reform, capable of addressing similar socio-economic inequities in other parts of the world. Keywords: Khoti system; Agrarian exploitation; Marginalized castes; Agrarian justice JEL Classification: Q15; N55; O13; D63; P48; J43

Date: 2026-01-01
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-inv
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://osf.io/download/6956bfee8f92ffe66ead3c9c/

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:osf:socarx:k5edn_v1

DOI: 10.31219/osf.io/k5edn_v1

Access Statistics for this paper

More papers in SocArXiv from Center for Open Science
Bibliographic data for series maintained by OSF ().