In the
British period, what new opportunities opened up for people who came
from castes that were regarded as “low”?
In the British period, what new opportunities opened up for people who came from castes that were regarded as “low”?
The
British period saw the rise of the cities. Many of the poor living in
the Indian villages and small towns at the time began leaving their
villages and towns to look for jobs that were opening up in the
cities. As the cities were growing, there was a great demand for
labour—labour for digging drains, laying roads, constructing
buildings, working in factories and municipalities, etc. This demand
for labour was met by the population migrating from the villages and
towns. There was also the demand for labour in the various
plantations, both within the country and abroad. The
army too offered opportunities for employment.
Many
of these migrating people belonged to the low castes. For them, the
cities and the plantations represented the opportunity to get away
from the oppressive hold that upper-caste landowners exercised over
their lives and the daily humiliation they suffered.
The British period saw the rise of the cities. Many of the poor living in the Indian villages and small towns at the time began leaving their villages and towns to look for jobs that were opening up in the cities. As the cities were growing, there was a great demand for labour—labour for digging drains, laying roads, constructing buildings, working in factories and municipalities, etc. This demand for labour was met by the population migrating from the villages and towns. There was also the demand for labour in the various plantations, both within the country and abroad. The army too offered opportunities for employment.
Many of these migrating people belonged to the low castes. For them, the cities and the plantations represented the opportunity to get away from the oppressive hold that upper-caste landowners exercised over their lives and the daily humiliation they suffered.
