Why was the meaning of forests for local society different from that for the colonial state in the Bastar rebellion?
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: Local society saw forests as life and culture while the state saw them as controlled resources
The governing concept is the conflict between customary livelihood and commercial-administrative control. For Bastar’s communities, forests supplied food, fuel, grazing, materials and spaces connected with farming, ritual and collective identity. Their relationship was practical, social and cultural, not merely economic. The colonial state increasingly treated forests as taxable, regulated resources for timber, revenue and state planning, and therefore restricted customary access. Option A is correct because it compares these competing meanings. Option B and option C erase local dependence, while option D misrepresents the state’s material and administrative interest. Different ideas of ownership and use made conflict likely.
Frequently asked questions
What is the correct answer to this question?
Local society saw forests as life and culture while the state saw them as controlled resources
Why is this the correct answer?
The governing concept is the conflict between customary livelihood and commercial-administrative control. For Bastar’s communities, forests supplied food, fuel, grazing, materials and spaces connected with farming, ritual and collective identity. Their relationship was practical, social and cultural, not merely economic. The colonial state increasingly treated forests as taxable, regulated resources for timber, revenue and state planning, and therefore restricted customary access. Option A is correct because it compares these competing meanings. Option B and option C erase local dependence, while option D misrepresents the state’s material and administrative interest. Different ideas of ownership and use made conflict likely.
Which subject and chapter does this question cover?
This is a Class 9 History question. Chapter: Forest Society and Colonialism. Topic: Rebellion in the Forest.
