What was the socio- economic background of West Bengal when 'The Postmaster ' was written??

The socio- economic condition of West Bengal was similar
to what was featured in the story.  There was Calcutta as the sprawling urban
metropolis, and there was the rural world.  Calcutta represented the urban realm where
wealth existed.  Land owners called the Zamindars lived in Calcutta.  The landscape of
Calcutta was in stark contrast to the life of the rural settings that somehow were
filtered into the metropolis.  This can actually be seen in Tagore’s short story. 
Whereas the villages, like Ulapur, featured natural settings where “the leaves were
trembling in the trees,” Calcutta was the realm where “the sky was blocked out by rows
of tall buildings.”  This reflects the socio- economic of West Bengal as dictated by
those with wealth, who lived in Calcutta, and those without it, who lived in places like
Ulapur.  It makes sense that the socio- economic background of West Bengal is brought
out in the relationship between the Postmaster and Ratan.  He is the Zamindar- like
figure, and she is the one who refers to him as “Dadababu,” a term of respect that
someone on the lower end of wealth and prestige would use to refer someone higher than
them.  It is here where Tagore might be making a materialist observation, an idea even
more profound when we consider the ending and where Tagore’s loyalties might
lie.