Indian Industries During British Rule

Q.1- WHAT WAS THE STATE OF INDUSTRIAL SECTOR UNDER BRITISH RULE?

ANSWER:

(A) EXPLANATION

• Similar to the agriculture sector in India, Industrial sector also did not see much growth and development.

(B) FOLLOWING WERE THE MAJOR REASONS WHICH WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR BLEAK GROWTH OF INDUSTRIAL SECTOR.

(1)

SYSTEMATIC DE- INDUSTRIALISATION

• The Primary motive of Britishers behind de-industrialization was two-fold

  (i) To make India a net exporter of Raw material to the British Industries.

  (ii) To sell British products at a higher rate in the Indian market.

• British followed Discriminatory Tariff poll
• Discriminatory Tariff policy signifies free export of raw material from India and Import of Finished product from Britain and placing a heavy duty on Export of Indian handicrafts.

(2)

LOPSIDED MODERN INDUSTRIAL STRUCTURE

• British rulers never permitted modernization nor did they encourage the growth of Industries.
• Unbalanced and lopsided growth structure was a legacy of British rule in India.
• In 1850-55 first cotton mill, jute mill and coal mine were established.
• By the end of the 19^th century, 194 cotton mills and 36 jute mills were located in the western part of the country (Maharashtra and Gujarat)

(3)

LACKING CAPITAL GOODS INDUSTRY

• Capital goods industry refers to the industry which produces goods such as machines, tools, etc. which are further capable of producing consumer goods.
• Primary objective of British rulers was to develop such an industry in India which would never be able to compete with the British Industry.
• They want to make Indian industry to be dependent upon British industry for capital goods.

Q.1- WHAT WAS THE TWO-FOLD MOTIVE BEHIND THE SYSTEMATIC DEINDUSTRIALIZATION AFFECTED BY THE BRITISH IN PRE-INDEPENDENT INDIA? (NCERT)

ANSWER:

TWO-HOLD MOTIVES

1. First Motive-To get the raw material from India at a cheap rate and thus to reduce India to a mere exporter of raw materials to the British industries.

2. Second Motive– To sell British manufactured goods in the Indian market at higher prices.

Q.2- WHICH INDIAN INDUSTRY WAS ADVERSELY AFFECTED DUE TO THE PARTITION OF INDIA AND WHY?

ANSWER:

EXPLANATION

• Jute industry was adversely affected due to the partition of India because :

  (a) The whole of the jute producing area became part of East Pakistan (now Bangladesh); and

  (b) India’s jute goods industry suffered heavily for lack of raw material.

Q.3- WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY CAPITAL GOODS INDUSTRY? DISCUSS THE STATUS OF SUCH INDUSTRY DURING THE BRITISH RULE.

ANSWER:

EXPLANATION

• Capital goods industry means industries which can produce machine tools which are used for producing articles for current consumption.
• During the British rule, there was hardly any capital goods industry to support the slow industrial development taking place in India.
• Britishers did not pay any attention for the set-up of such industries because they wanted Indians to be dependent on Britain for the supply of capital and heavy goods.

Q4- NAME SOME MODERN INDUSTRIES WHICH WERE IN OPERATION IN OUR COUNTRY AT THE TIME OF INDEPENDENCE.

ANSWER:

Modern industries which were in operation in our country at the time of independence are as follows:

(i) Cotton textile industries.

(ii) Jute textile industries.

(iii) Iron and steel industries.

(iv) Sugar industries.

(v) Cement industries etc.

Q.5- WHAT ARE CAPITAL GOODS?

ANSWER:

Capital goods refer to those goods which are used to produce consumer goods such as Plant and Machine etc.

Q.6- WHAT IS SYSTEMATIC DE-INDUSTRIALISATION?

ANSWER:

It is a process of destroying an industry without leaving any scope for its revival.