Roadmap for Answer Writing
Introduction
- Briefly define the Industrial Revolution in Britain and its significance (beginning in the late 18th century).
- Introduce the concept of deindustrialization in India and its relevance to Britain’s economic development during the colonial period.
- State the central thesis: how Britain’s industrialization was partly built on the deindustrialization and exploitation of India.
Body of the Answer
- Destruction of India’s Traditional Industries
- Explain how British policies dismantled India’s domestic industries.
- Key Fact: The destruction of the handloom industry due to British imports of cheap machine-made textiles. Indian products could not compete with the low-cost British goods in local and global markets.
- Source: Dadabhai Naoroji’s Poverty and Un-British Rule in India highlights how British policies favored imports and suppressed Indian exports.
- India as a Source of Raw Materials for British Industry
- Discuss how India became a primary source of raw materials, especially raw cotton, essential for Britain’s textile industry.
- Key Fact: The export of raw cotton from India to Britain increased from 2.5 million pounds to 22 million pounds between 1760 and 1787.
- Source: Economic records on British colonial trade confirm the role of India in supplying raw materials.
- Exploitation of Labor and Resources
- Mention how Britain extracted wealth from India through forced labor, low wages, and excessive taxation.
- Key Fact: Between 1765 and 1815, Britain extracted approximately £18 million annually from India, which was crucial for funding Britain’s industrial projects.
- Source: RP Dutt’s analysis of colonial finances explains how funds from India supported Britain’s industrial growth.
- Expansion of Railways and Infrastructure
- Explain how British-built infrastructure, particularly railways, was designed to extract resources efficiently and transport them to British markets.
- Key Fact: Between 1854 and 1947, India saw the import of 14,400 locomotives from Britain. The railways also helped in the transportation of raw materials and labor.
- Source: Indian colonial infrastructure reports outline the role of railways in supporting British economic interests.
- Monopoly Rights and Control Over Trade
- Discuss how British policies established monopolies over Indian trade, particularly in the textile industry, and controlled the weavers through the appointment of “gomasthas”.
- Key Fact: British appointed paid servants, called ‘gomasthas’, to oversee weavers, collect supplies, and ensure the quality of cloth. This control directly undermined local craftsmanship.
- Source: Historical accounts of British trade monopolies in India provide details about this exploitation.
Conclusion
- Summarize how deindustrialization in India, marked by the destruction of industries, exploitation of raw materials, labor, and resources, and the establishment of trade monopolies, directly contributed to Britain’s industrial growth.
- Reinforce the cyclical nature of this relationship, where Britain’s industrial progress enabled further colonial expansion, while colonialism itself fueled the Industrial Revolution.
Model Anwer
The statement highlights a significant and controversial argument regarding the relationship between Britain’s Industrial Revolution and the exploitation of India during British colonial rule. This can be analyzed by looking at key factors that show how the deindustrialization of India contributed to Britain’s industrial growth.
1. Destruction of Local Industries
Under British colonial rule, India’s traditional industries, such as handloom weaving, were systematically destroyed. British policies favored the import of cheap British-made goods, which undermined Indian craftsmanship. The Indian handloom industry faced severe competition from factory-made cloth, leading to its collapse. As noted by Dadabhai Naoroji in Poverty and Un-British Rule in India, British policies actively discouraged the export of Indian products while promoting British manufactured goods【Source: Dadabhai Naoroji’s Poverty and Un-British Rule in India】.
2. India as a Source of Raw Materials
India was a crucial supplier of raw materials for Britain’s growing industries. The export of raw cotton from India to Britain rose dramatically from 2.5 to 22 million pounds between 1760 and 1787【Source: Historical economic data on British colonial trade】. India provided essential raw materials like cotton and minerals, which were critical for fueling Britain’s industrial machines.
3. Exploitation of Indian Labor and Resources
India’s human and material resources were exploited for Britain’s benefit. India provided a market for British goods while British civil servants and industrialists profited from low wages and forced labor【Source: Economic records from British colonial rule】. The imposition of heavy taxes, approximately £18,000,000 annually between 1765 and 1815, extracted substantial capital from India, funding Britain’s industrial development【Source: RP Dutt’s analysis on colonial finance】.
4. Railway Expansion for Economic Control
The expansion of the railway network in India between 1854 and 1947 was another tool of exploitation. Railways facilitated the transportation of raw materials from India’s interior to ports for export to Britain. It also helped transport cheap labor to serve British industries【Source: Indian colonial infrastructure reports】.
Conclusion
The deindustrialization of India played a central role in the success of Britain’s Industrial Revolution. British policies systematically dismantled India’s domestic industries, while exploiting its raw materials, labor, and resources. These actions provided critical support to Britain’s industrial growth, showing how colonialism was interlinked with industrial progress.