6. The tillers of the soil could not leave agriculture even when they were shways Sxpioited. ‘Ans. True. The tillers of the soil could not leave agriculture despite ther contin: was because of the lack of vocational avenues outsicl This 7. Under the British Raj, discriminatory tariff policy was pursued with 2 wiew to protecting the Indian industry. Ans. False. British pursued discriminatory tariff policy which allowed tar from India and tariff-free import of British industrial products i industrial products to capture the Indien markets material British 8. Surplus generated in trade was used to meet administrative expenses by the British government in India. Ans. True. Surplus generated in trade was used by British government penses in India which led to a huge drain of wealth 9. Partition of the country had @ negative impact on Indian agriculture. ‘Ans. True. India got 82 per cent of population end 65 per cent oF of West 3. HOTS & Applications 1. How Railways reduced the impact of famines during the colonial period? Ans. Railways facilitated the movement of food grains irom the surplus warehouses (Godowns) to the areas afflicted with famines. Accordingly reduced, 2. How would you support the view that the destruction of handicraft in Indis coincided with the industrial revolution in Great Britain? ‘Ans. The destruction of the indian handicrafts was systematically plann to csincide with the industrial revolution in Great Britain. The succes depended on (i) growth of Indian market for the British products, and from India to Britain. Achievement of both these objectives (largely policy) led to the destruction of Indian handicrafts. jovernment revolution material ry trade 3. The policy of colonial exploitation of the Indian economy during the Sritish Raj had some positive side-effects for the Indian economy. Do you agree? Ans. Itistrue, that the policy of colonial exploitation cluring the British Raj had som fects je means of communication and a good system of administration were some critic colonial exploitation, But all these implied a growth-oriented change in t 4, How did discriminatory trade policy contribute to the success of industrial revolution in Great Britain? ‘Ans. Discriminatory trade policy contributed to the success of industrial rev two ways: (@ Low duty on the import of British industrial goods i demand for these goods, and (i) Low duty on the export of raw material from india ensured availab the British industry, India led domestic inputs for 26 indian Economic Developmentis & Evaluation 7 ‘sgally, Zamindari System of Land Revenue has been abolished in independent india. Yet ‘ecian agriculture continues to be in a state of backwardness. What in your opinion is the principal reason for this situation? S=spite abolition of zamindari system, poverty continues to be pervasive in Indien agriculture ‘Owing to two reasons: ©) The bulk of the Indian farmers are small and marginal holders. Small and marginal holdings are not conducive to the adoption of innovative techniques of farming, and (©) The delivery mechanism related to financial help by the state is grossly inefficient and ineffective. MNCs (Multinational Corporations) are dominating the Indian industrial sector and are offering stiff competition to the small-scale industry. How do you compare this situation with the one under the British rule when the Indian handicrafts were exposed to stiff competition from the machine-made products of Britain? ‘Competition promotes the adoption of innovative technology and is therefore, expected to open Pew vistas of growth for the small-scale enterprises, But the adoption of new technology needs 2 level playing field. Do the small enterprises in India have it? ‘No’ is the answer. Small enterprises © India do not get enough funds at a low rate of interest as the MNCs can manage. Accordingly, “ey often fail to upgrade their technology to make it competitive. Also, they fail to spend as much on advertisement and publicity as the MNCs can do to capture the market. Thus, survival ‘= small enterprises in the face of stiff competition from the MNCs seems to be doubtful. This ‘Stuation Is definitely comparable with the one when the Indian handicrafts were exposed to the uff competition from machine-made products of Britain during the British rule in India. However, the difference is that whereas during the British rule, destruction of small enterprises could be ‘taken 2s 2 consequence of the colonial exploitation by the foreign government in India, no such Stustion exists in India now. I is all a matter of competition in the wake of NEP (new economic e2licy) promoting liberalisation, privatisation and globalisation of the industrial sector. Questions (With Answers or Reference to the Text for Answers) (2) State any one positive contribution made by the British in Indie, (0) Indicate the volume and direction of foreign trade of India at the time of inclependence. [CBSE 2020 (58/1/1), (58/1/2)) Page 12,13, 17,18) ‘What was the two-fold motive behind the systematic de-industrialisation effected by the British in pre-indepencient India? [CBSE 2020 (58/1/2)] or State the two-fold motive for the systematic destablisation of indigenous Indian industries in the British era. [OBSE 2020 (58/5/2)] [Page 9] (@) Name any one prominent economist who estimated India's national income during the Colonial period (b) Discuss any two causes of Indias agricultural stagnation during the colonial period. [CBSE 2020 (58/1/3)] [Page 4, 6-8] Indian Economy on the Eve ofindependence 27Comment upon any two salient features of occupational structure of india on the eve of independence. Tease 2020 (58/2/1)] Or Discuss briefly, any two salient features of India’s pre-inclependence occupational structure. [CBSE 2020 (58/4/1), (58/5/1)] [Page 15, 16] Comment upon any two salient features of demographic conditions of India on the eve of independance. (CBSE 2020 (58/2/2)] (Page 13, 14] Comment upon any two salient features of foreign trade policy of India, on the eve of independence. [BSE 2020 (58/2/3)1 [Page 11-13] ____ is one of the main positive contribution made by the British in india. (Fill up the blank with correct answer) [Introduction of railways] [CBSE 2020 (58/5/3)1 6. NCERT Questions (With Hints to Answers) 1 What was the focus of the economic policies pursued by the colonial government in India? What were the impacts of these policies? [Hint: The focus of the economic policies pursued by the British govern exploit the Indian economy as much as they could do to foster the growth process of the British economy. The colonial policies chenged the nature and structure of the Indian econor jas rendered as supplier of raw materials and net importer of finished industrial products from Britain] . Name some notable economists who estimated India’s per capita income during the colonial period. [Hint: Dacabhai Naoroji, William Digby, Findlay Shirras, VKRV. Rao and RC |. What were the main causes of India’s agricultural stagnation during the colonial period? {Hint: Following were the principal causes of India’s agricultural stagnation durin period! () Tillers of the soil were not the owners of the soll (i) Land Settlement System under the British Raj focused on explo! (ii) Forced commercialisation of agriculture which led to uncerta . Name some modern industries which were in operation in our country 2t the time of independence. [Hint: (i) Cotton Textile Industries, (i) Jute Textile Industries, {il ron and Steel industries, (iv) Sugar Industries, (vy) Cement Industries, Paper Inclustries, etc.) ) i) (i Indian Economic Developm5. Whatwas the two-fold motive behind the systematic deindustrialisation effected by the British in pre-independent india? [Hint (i) To exploit India's wealth of raw material and primary products like cotton and jute. (i) To exploit India as a potential market for the industrial products of Britain) ©. The traditional handicrafts industries were ruined under the British rule. Do you agree with this lew? Give reasons in support of your answer. [Hint: Yes, the traditional handicraft industries were ruined under the British rule. The reasons are 2s follow: () Discriminatory Tariff Policy of the State: The tariff policy of the British allowed tariff-free export of raw material from India, and tariff-free import of British industrial products into India. But at the same time, heavy duty was placed on the export of Indian handlicraft products which reduced their competitiveness in the international market. (ii) Competition with Machine-made Goods: The Indian handicrafts also faced tough competition from the machine-made British products, which were better in quality and precision than Indian products. As a consequence, while the British products started gaining the Indian Markets, the Indian handicraft products started losing their domestic as well as foreign market. New Patterns of Demand: The pattern of demand of Indian consumers also changed. Under the influence of British culture, the people increasingly took to the western lifestyle and started preferring British products. Thus, the Indian craftsmen gradually last domestic market ] (i i) What objectives did the British intend to achieve through their policies of infrastructure development in India? {Hint: The British intends to achieve the following objectives through their policies of infrastructure development in India: ()) Expansion of the Indian market for the British products through the expansion of railweys. (0) To handle export of raw material to Britain and import of finished goods from Britain through the development of ports. (i) To enhance administrative efficiency through the development of post and telegraphs. (y) To facilitate transportation of raw material from different parts of the country to the ports through the development of rads ] Critically appraise some of the shortfalls of the industrial policy pursued by the British colonial administration. [Hint: Industrial policy pursued by the British colonial administration was to foster the process of industrial growth in Britain. In Incia, capital goods industry was developed only to the extent that it aided the development of industry in Britain, The contribution of the industrial sector was ‘significant, The public sector recorded a very dismal growth.] What do you understand by the drain of Indian wealth during the colonial period? Tint: Huge administrative expenses were incurred by the Gritish government to manage their colonial rule in India. Also, huge expenses were incurred by the British government to fight wars in ursuit of their policy of imperialism. All these expenses were borne by the Indian Exchequer. This ‘implied a drain of Indie’s wealth] Which is regarded as the defining year to mark the demographic transition from its first to the second decisive stage? [Hint: The year 1921 is regarcied as the defining year to mark the demographic transition from its first to the second decisive stage. 1921 is also known as the year of great divide] indian Economy onthe Eve of independence 29n. 2. 1B. 14, 1. 16. 30 Give a quantitative appraisal of India’s demographic profile during the colonial period. [Hint: India’s demographic profile showed the following features. (i) High birth rate and death rate. (i) High infent mortality rate. (ii) Low life expectancy. (iv) Low fernale literacy rate indicating high degree of gender-bias in the Highlight the salient features of India’s pre-independence occupational structure [Hint: The primary sector (dominated by agriculture) accounted fo (70-75 per cent). The manufacturing and the services sectors accounted f 15-20 per cent share, respectively.) Underscore some of India’s most crucial economic challenges at the time of independence. [Hint: () Agricultural sector of the economy was backward, stagnant and it was a crucial economic challenge. (ii) There was an urgent need of madernisation, diversification, capacity d increased public investment in industrial sector. (ii) Infrastruture facilities, including the famed railway network dation and expansion. (iv) Prevalence of rampant poverty and unemployment required ws n of the economic policies.) When was India’s first official census operation undertaken? (Hint: 1881] Indicate the volume and direction of trade at the time of independence. [Hint: Owing to colonial exploitation of the Indian economy, Indis we: er of raw materials and primary products suchas raw silk cotton, wool, jute indian . Briefly describe the occupational structure of Indian economy on the eve of indep [Page 15, 16] ©. Write a few words on infrastructure in the Indian economy at the time of independence. [Page 16-18] 7 State three main features of Indian economy at the time of independence. [Page 3-5) © Colonial Exploitation of the Indian Economy Under the British Rule Indian economy under the British rule was subjectedto colonial exploitation. It implied a targeted exploitation ofall sectors of the economy by the British Government. This is how it happened. () Colonial Exploitation of Agricultural Sector: Agriculture was exploited through zamindari system of land revenue. Following observations highli ight how this system led to exploitation of the Indian agriculture: ‘* Zamindars were declared as owners of the soil. They were to pay a fixed Sum to the government by way of land revenue, and were free to extract as much as they wished (or as much as they could) from the tillers of the soil (farmers), The tillers of the soil (the actual cultivators) got bare minimum for survival They were left with no surplus for investment in agriculture, * The zamindars, on the other hand, spent their revenue income on the luxuries of life, Little or no investment was made for the development of agriculture, indian Economy on the Eve of independence 31