CHAPTER 4 - The Age of Industrialisation (HISTORY SOCIAL SCIENCE CLASS 10)

Imagine that you have been asked to write an article for an encyclopedia on Britain and the history of cotton. Write your piece using information from the entire chapter. Why did industrial production in India increase during the First World War?

Before the age of machines, silk and cotton goods from India dominated the International market in textiles. Coarser cottons were produced in many countries but finer verities often came from India. Armenian and Persian merchants took the goods from Punjab to Afghanistan, eastern Persia and Central Asia. Bales of fine textiles were carried on camel back via the north-west frontier, through mountain passes and across deserts. In the late 17th century British cotton industries had not been expanded and Indian fine textiles were in Great demand in Europe. So the East India company was keen on expanding textile exports from India. In 1760’s and 1770’s the East India company had found it difficult to ensure a regular supply of goods for exports.

The French Dutch Portuguese as well as local traders competed in the market to secure woven cloth. So the weaver and supply merchant could bargain and try selling the produce to best buyers. To establish monopoly the East India company used political power. The company eliminate existing traders and brokers and established direct control over the weavers. The company prevented weavers from dealing with other buyers. The company appointed supervisors to supervise weavers collect supplies and examine the quality of cloth. Those weavers taking leave from the company should handover the cloth they produced to the supervisors or gomasthas. They cannot sell it to any other traders. Weaving in fact required the labour of the entire family with children and women all engaged in different stages of the process. In many villages there were report of clashes between weavers and gomasthas. Gomasthas acted arrogantly and punished weavers for delay in supply. The weavers lost space to bargain, the price they received from the company was very low and the loans they accepted tied them to the company. Overtime many weavers began refusing loan, closing down their workshops and taking to agricultural labour.

In 1811-12 piece goods accounted for 33 percent . Cotton industries developed in England and industrial groups began to worry about imports from other countries. They foced sale of Manchester goods to sell in Britain by pressurising the government to impose import duties on cotton textiles. At the same time industrialist persuaded the East India Company to sell Manchester product in India. By 1850 the export of cotton piece goods from India was reduced to zero and by 1870 India’s import of Manchester goods increased over 50 percent . In 1850’s weavers narrated stories of decline and desolation. By 1860’s weavers faced a new problem of insufficient supply of raw cotton of good quality. Raw cotton from India was exported and Indian weavers was forced to buy cotton at exorbitant prices. In this situation weaving could not pay. By the end of 19th century factories in India began production flooding the market with machine goods. The first cotton mill in Bombay came up in 1851 and by 1862 four mills were at work with 94000 spindles and 2150 looms. In 1860 Elgin Mill was started in Kanpur and in 1861 the first cotton mill was started in Ahmedabad. In 1874 the first spinning and weaving mill of Madras began production. 

Till the First world war industrial growth was slow. The war created a dramatically new situation. Since British mills were busy with war production to meet the needs of army.Imports of Manchester goods to India declined. Suddenly Indian mills had a vast home to supply. As war prolonged Indian factories were called upon to supply war needs. Over the war years industrial production boomed. After the war Manchester could never recapture their old position in Indian market. In India local industrialist gradually consolidated their position capturing the home markets. Certain weavers were in a better position than others to survive the competition with mill industries. Moreover mills could not imitate specialised weavers. Weavers and other crafts persons who continued to expand production through the twentieth century did not necessarily prosper. However hand technology and small-scale production remained an important part of the industrial landscape.