UPSC Prelims 2018 Q52: Modern History – British Administration & Economic Policies
- (a) increase in the export of Indian handicrafts
- (b) growth in the number of Indian owned factories
- (c) commercialization of Indian agriculture
- (d) rapid increase in the urban population
Answer: (c) commercialization of Indian agriculture
Explanation
Economic Impact of British Rule in 19th Century
| Option | Actual 19th-century impact | Correct? | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| (a) | Increase in export of Indian handicrafts | REVERSE - Indian handicrafts DECLINED / de-industrialised due to cheap Manchester textile imports (deindustrialisation thesis: R.C. Dutt, Dadabhai Naoroji). | NO |
| (b) | Growth in Indian-owned factories | Minimal in 19th century; first Indian cotton mill was Bombay 1854 (Cowasji Nanabhoy Davar), but Indian entrepreneurship was systematically suppressed. | NO |
| (c) Commercialization of Indian agriculture | YES | Peasants forced to shift from subsistence crops to cash crops (indigo, cotton, jute, tea, opium) for export to Britain. This commercialisation caused famines but is undeniable historically. | YES |
| (d) | Rapid increase in urban population | NO - Urbanisation was slow in the 19th century; India remained overwhelmingly rural until the late 20th century. | NO |
Answer: (c) Commercialization of Indian agriculture.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. Indian handicrafts collapsed under British rule due to Manchester textile imports - the reverse of what this option claims.
- (b) Incorrect. Indian-owned factories in the 19th century were minimal; British policy actively hindered Indian industrial growth.
- (c) CORRECT. British rule commercialised Indian agriculture by forcing peasants into cash-crop production (indigo, cotton, jute, opium, tea) for export.
- (d) Incorrect. Urban population growth was slow in the 19th century; deindustrialisation actually pushed people back to villages.
Key point
19th c. British economic impact: Deindustrialisation of handicrafts, commercialisation of agriculture, drain of wealth (Dadabhai Naoroji), famines (Bengal 1770, 1873, 1943), forced cash crops (indigo, cotton, jute, tea, opium), destruction of village economy.
Remember
The most significant economic effect of British rule in 19th-century India was the commercialisation of Indian agriculture. Peasants were forced to shift from subsistence food crops to cash crops - indigo, cotton, jute, opium, tea - meant for export to Britain. This commercialisation, combined with deindustrialisation of handicrafts, exacerbated famines and impoverished rural India.
Common mistakes
- Assuming British rule industrialised India - it deindustrialised the artisanal sector while limiting factory growth.
- Missing that commercialisation was forced (through tax pressure, indigo cultivation contracts, opium monopoly), not organic.
- Confusing 19th-century impact (drain, deindustrialisation) with 20th-century early industrial growth (Tata, Birla ventures).
Exam tip
Commercialisation shorthand: Cash-crop shift + drain of wealth + deindustrialisation + famines. Cash crops: indigo (Bihar), cotton (Deccan), jute (Bengal), tea (Assam), opium (UP/Bihar for China trade).
Sources
- Bipan Chandra - India's Struggle for Independence (Chapter on Economic Impact of British Rule)
- R.C. Dutt - Economic History of India Under Early British Rule