It has often been argued that the British rule in India destroyed the local artisans and handicrafts...........

Modern Indian History Developments

It has often been argued that the British rule in India destroyed the local artisans and handicrafts of India. Which of the following statements is/are correct in this regard?

1. The one way free trade in India led to influx of cheap machine made goods in India on a mass scale.

2. The decline of local patrons and penetration of railways also contributed to the ruin of local handicrafts.

3. However the massive industrialization the British undertook in India led to absorption of artisans into gainful employment in factories thereby preventing their impoverishment.

Select the correct answer using codes given below.

1 and 2 only

2 and 3 only

1 only

All of the above

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Explanation:

Third statement is incorrect i.e. the massive industrialization the British undertook in India led to absorption of artisans into gainful employment in factories thereby preventing their impoverishment.
The Indian handicrafts that had made the country famous, collapsed under the colonial rule. This was mainly due to the competition posed by the machine made goods that were imported from Britain. The ability of mass production of goods helped Britain to flood the Indian markets with cheap products especially cotton textiles.
The railways facilitated the reach of these goods to remotest parts in India and the procurement of raw materials from these parts. The traditional handicrafts industry faced a tough competition from these goods produced in bulk.
The policy of free trade followed by the East India Company helped them to dictate terms of trade. They compelled the Indian craftsmen to sell their goods below market price and they hired their services at below the prevailing wages.
This forced many a craftsman to abandon their ancestral trade. The British exported raw materials from India like cotton. As a result the Indian weaver had to buy these materials at higher prices. This in turn raised the cost of Indian handicrafts as compared to the machine made goods. Indian goods were also subjected to high tariffs in the English market whereas the British goods gained duty free access into the Indian markets.