The introduction of the Ryotwari System in the Bombay Deccan was influenced by the economic theories of:

The correct option is David Ricardo

Explanation

The Ryotwari System was a land revenue administration introduced by the British in the Madras and Bombay Presidencies. Unlike the Permanent Settlement in Bengal, it established a direct relationship between the government and the cultivator (ryot). The formulation of this system, particularly in the Bombay Deccan during the 1820s and 1830s, was deeply influenced by the intellectual climate of 19th-century Britain, specifically Utilitarianism and Classical Economics.

Influence of Ec

• David Ricardo's Theory of Rent: The revenue assessment in the Bombay Deccan was explicitly based on David Ricardo's Theory of Rent. According to Ricardo, "rent" is the surplus profit derived from land after deducting the cost of cultivation and the prevailing rate of profit on capital.
• Application in India: British officials, heavily influenced by James Mill (a proponent of Ricardian economics in the East India Company), viewed the State as the Supreme Landlord. They argued that the state was entitled to the entire "economic rent" or the net surplus produce.
• Consequence: Survey officers like R.K. Pringle attempted to scientifically calculate this "net produce" for every field to fix the revenue demand. This theoretical application often led to exorbitantly high revenue demands, as the calculations did not account for the actual fluctuations in Indian agriculture, leading to peasant indebtedness and agrarian distress.

Key Takeaway:
The Ryotwari assessment in the Bombay Deccan was grounded in David Ricardo's Theory of Rent, which justified the state's claim to the entire surplus produce (net produce) of the land as revenue.