Bengal under Nawabs — Key Changes

Entry	Year	Description	Impact
N/A (Historical Policy Shift)	c. 1717	Murshid Quli Khan's administrative shift from the traditional Jagirdari system to the Ijaradari (revenue farming) system. This was a fundamental change in how land revenue was assessed and collected, moving away from transferable land grants to auctioning collection rights.	Significantly increased the revenue collection efficiency and state income for the Bengal Nawabi. It centralized fiscal power, reduced the influence of traditional Mughal jagirdars, and created a new class of powerful zamindars and revenue farmers loyal to the Nawab. This fiscal independence was a cornerstone of Bengal's autonomy from the Mughal center.
N/A (Strategic Policy Shift)	c. 1740s-1750s	Alivardi Khan's policy of strict control over European trading companies, preventing them from fortifying their factories or interfering in local politics. This was a conscious departure from the more lenient approach of earlier Nawabs, driven by his astute understanding of European imperial ambitions.	Temporarily checked the political and military expansion of the British and French East India Companies in Bengal. It aimed to preserve the Nawab's sovereignty and prevent the companies from becoming rival power centers. However, this policy also created resentment among the European powers, particularly the British, who saw it as an impediment to their commercial and strategic interests, setting the stage for future conflict.