Ans. The emergence of intermediaries and absentee landlordism during British rule in India had severe consequences. The intermediaries acted as middlemen between the peasants and the British authorities, exploiting the peasants and extracting high rents and taxes. The absentee landlords, who were often British or Indian elites, neglected their estates and focused solely on extracting profits. This led to the ruin of old zamindars (landowners) and further impoverishment of the peasants.