The topic "The apathy and greed of Colonial rulers had a hand (directly or through inaction) in many famines" Mike Davis' book touches a sensitive issue however, no matter how eloquently he advocates fault, he certainly does not balance the onus of responsibility to this tragedy. Agreed some of the British were responsible for these famines but one needs to to understand that equal inaction by the Indians and the system of 'zemandari' contibuted to this inevitable. The official returns since the beginning of that century put the figure at 12.5 million. That of course ommitted several famines. However, an agreed figure between Indian and European researches capped at 18 million. Who is to be blamed for this tragedy - both and not just one single civilization To understand the start of these famines, one needs to go back to Lord Cornwallis' rule. To his credit it must be stated that his intent was to reform the abuse of licensed plunder that was in effect in the ranks of the East India Company. After the successful victory against Tipoo Sultan, in which by the way he had the asistance of the Maharattas and the Nizam he attempted to reorganize the administration in Bengal. His achievement of the Permanent Land Settlement in Bengal in 1793 brought in a whole new breed of Indian aristocracy known as the 'Zemindars' The revenue collectors with whom Cornwallis reached this settlement created a landed aristocracy of the most oppresive kind. The Zemindars were entrusted to collect the fixed revenue for the East india Company however, it also them a right to treat all below them as mere labourers subject to their will. This Zemindari system or oppression is still enacted in Bollywood. Year round ploughing of the land with no fallow time and no decent bullocks brought agriculture to a process of exhaustion. Because of their abject poverty and their plight to eat or sell every bit the land produced nothing was returned to the soil in proportion to what was taken away. That included the cattle manure which was used as fuel. The never ending demands and methods by this new aristocracy on the agricultural population compounded by a breed of usurers who took advantage and charged interest on loans ranging from 20 to 60 percent contributed to the inevitable. These were not El Nino cursed victims but a product of financial famines. Men, women and children could not get food because they could not buy it. It may be noted that in 1877 the Guaranteed Indian Railways posted a profit for the first time transporting food to famine stricken areas. It did not do any good as the average person could not afford to buy it. The direct abuse on the agricultural class impacted the whole country and loss of life. It was well put by a British Colonel at that time whom I quote" In India we all know very well that when the agricultural class is weak the weakness of all the other sections of the community is the inevitable consequence" The British did listen to natives. However, the Zemindari and the usurer community dictated the medium of communication. People tend to forget that It was not the Queen or the Pariament or the Governor General that ruled India. It was the district officers, judges, collectors, public works, police and managers of the railways that were the true rulers. They formed an enormous foreign bureaucracy however, with the usual defects incident to any bureaucracy. A characteristic not favourable to breaking rules; opposing out of the box solutions.Just like any current bureaucracy be it India or abroad. Every person for themselves essaying to hold on to what they have in hand Besides be it British or Indian it must be noted that India at that time was the 'El Dorado' of the time attracting unscrupulous adventurers from both sides that contibuted to more than just famines. Because of so little time since India's independence it will probably take another generation before any fair survey can be made on Colonial Indo-British ties. The Railways that was created back then, broke the bank of the poor Indian, but the fruits are now enjoyed by the second largest population. Public Works which was a monster that demanded more in those times and the reason for heavy taxation is now a handover that places India in and advanced stage compared to the other British colonies. For every Lord Dalhousie, there is a Warren Hastings or a Mountstuart Elphinstone. On and ending note and in praise for my community the Anglo-Indian I can say that one can truly notice a common starting point for both civilizations. When it came to discharging their responsibilities they did not abandon the British trust or their Indian resolve to final a accomplishment. Richard Rozario ( Toronto)