Question

Which of the following were a result of the First World War on India?

• A. Increase of war loans, taxes and custom duties.
• B. Forced recruitment of Indian soldiers in the British Army.
• C. The prices of commodities decreased.
• D. The prices of commodities doubled.

Answer 1

Answer: (A), (B), (D)

The prices of commodities doubled.

During the early twentieth century, Europeans were the main participants in the First World War. India being a colony of Britain, bore the brunt of the war. It changed the economic and political situation of India. The British increased the war loans and taxes on Indians to meet the defence expenditure. They also increased the custom duties and introduced taxes on individual incomes. The British government deployed Indian soldiers from villages to fight the war on their behalf, but most of the recruitment was forced. During the war years, the prices of commodities doubled, and India also faced an influenza epidemic killing millions of people.