Leader of farmers: Sir I would first and foremost like to thank you for sharing your precious time for the meeting.
Official: You are welcome as I am very anxious to hear your point of view because of late I am flooded with complaints regarding non-compliance of peasants complaints.
Farmer: Sir, farmers like me are unwilling to turn their fields over to poppy cultivation because poppy can be grown! on the best land, on fields that lie near villages and are well manured.
Official: What is the problem'in this?
Farmer: Sir, on the land peasants usually produce pulses. If they planted opium on this land, then pulses would have to be cultivated on inferior land, where harvests were poorer and uncertain.
Official: I am sure if the will is there it can be sorted out.
Farmer: Sir, many cultivators do not own the land. To cultivate, they have to pay rent and lease land from landlords. The rent charged on good lands near villages is very high.
Official: We are adequately compensating you farmers for the cultivation.
Farmer: Sir, the price paid to the cultivator is far lower than the effort put in by the cultivator. Please you must understand, the cultivation of opium is a difficult process. The plant is delicate, and cultivators have to spend long hours in nurturing it.
Official: To smoothen the difficulties of the cultivator-like payment of rent' and to enable your brothers to meet their immediate needs of food, clothing etc. we have ensured advances are released for your comfort.
Farmer: Sir, these advances are working contrary to our well being. My fellows are tempted to accept these advances which are given by the village headmen but they have resulted in tying us up. We are forced to grow opium agaillst our will on specified area of land and hand over the produce to your agents. Once the crop is harvested, we have not only no option of planting the field with the crop of our choice but also no freedom to sell our produce to anyone but your company agent. The price paid by the agent is far lower than what we would get if we sell our produce to 'pykars'. In the process we lose out in every way. Sir, it is my request that please increase the price paid to us farmers in accordance with our commitment, to rent labour and other inputs once we comply with your desire to cultivate poppy. Also if that is not possible then we should have the freedom, to decide whom we want to sell our harvests. Moreover we would like to be treated in a dignified way.
Official: I would look into your grievances and to the best of my efforts try to resolve the issue keeping in mind both our interests.
Farmer: Thank you sir for giving me a patient hearing.

John Middleton (in Source D) contrary to the peasant is arguing in favour of, and advantages of enclosure of common lands.
(i) He admits enclosures do not benefit the farmer as do the open fields.
(ii) He states the farmer is bound, has no means and enjoys no freedom.
(iii) The farmer cannot make investments because of his minimum ability, so cannot increase productivity or effect change in prices.
(iv) He argues the farmer is like a horse in a team. He is a follower with no will of his own. He does what the rest do.

Farmers undertook cultivation of turnip and clover because these crops helped enhance the fertility of the soil by increasing the nitrogen content of the soil. Turnip was also a good fodder relished by cattle.

There was such a new demand for grains in Britain from mid 18th century because:
(i) Increase in population: By mid-18th century the English population expanded rapidly. Because 1750 to 1900 it multiplied over four times (7 million to 30 million). This meant an increased demand fro foodgrains to feed the population.
(ii) Impact of Industrialisation:  Britain at this time was industrialising. More and more people began to live and work in urban areas. Men from rural areas migrated to towns in search of jobs.
(iii) Wars: By end of the 18th century, France was at war with England. This disrupted trade and import of foodgrains from Europe. This created an imbalance between demand and supply.

(i) The early enclosures were usually created by individual landlords. They were not supported by the state or the church.
(ii) They were driven by the desire of rich farmers to expand wool production to earn profits. They were eager to improve their sheep breeding and ensure good feed for them.
(ii) The rich farmers began dividing and enclosing common land and building hedges around their holdings to separate their property from others. They drove out villagers who had small cottages on the common and prevented the poor from entering the enclosed fields.
(iv) Between 1750 and 1850, 6 million acres of land was enclosed.
(v) The British Parliament no longer watched the process from a distance but passed 4,000 Acts legalising these enclosures.

The agricultural revolution first occurred in England.

With the coming of modern agriculture:
(i) Access to forest and pastures was regulated by modern governments.
(ii) Controls and restrictions affected lives of small cottagers, foresters, peasants and farmers.
(iii) Regions of the world were integrated with the capitalist world markets. Though the processes were similar, the histories of places were different.

(i) The threshing machines opposed by the poor in England because landowners tried to cut wages and the number of workmen they employed. They brought a bad time for the poor and compelled the poor unemployed working class to tramp from village to village in order to search for job and livelihood.
(ii) This problem worsened when soldiers returned to villages after the Napoleonic wars and needed jobs.