RECAPITULATION 5

(Impact of railways)

Positive impact
● Railway facilitated expansion of the domestic market.
● Railways induced commercialisation of agriculture as goods could be moved to distant
places.
● Railways enabled people to break the barriers of distance and undertake Journeys to far
off places this promoted cultural affinity among the country men.
● Faster movement of food grain across different parts of the country helped control the
spread of famines.

Negative impact
● Railways contributed to colonial exploitation of Indian economy because primary goods
could be easily transported from the fields and farms to the ports.
● Finished goods coming as imports to Indian economy could be easily transported to the
interiors of the country for the purpose of sale.
● The spread of Railways led to the spread of domestic market for the British products.

ASSIGNMENT

1. What objectives did the British intend to achieve through their policies of
infrastructure development in India?
2. Highlight the salient features of India's pre-independence occupational structure.
3. Underscore some of India's most crucial economic challenges at the time of
independence.
4. Indicate the volume and direction of trade at the time of independence.
5. Were there any positive contribution made by the British in India? Discuss.