In early medival period, non-agricultural goods were produced in rural households in England. Later, when towns grew, goods bagan to ba made in crafts guild. As this method did npt satisfy the growng demand of goods, a noy satisfy the growing denmad of goods, a new method called ‘Domestic Method’ came up.The production units were still located in houses. But now, merchants supplied raw materials these units. The craftsmen used simple tools to produce finished goods which were then ollected by the same merchant who sold them in the market. Even this system was inadequate to keep up with the demand. Meanwhile, many new machines were invented like the steam engine, the spinning jenny, cotton gin and power loom. So, a new system of production called factory system arose. The workers went to work in a building called factory owned by a capitalist. Production was carried on with the help of a large number of machines mainly run by steam power. This shif tof production by machines led to the advent of ‘machine age’. Production multiplied many times. The series of industrial and technological changes that bagan in the late 18th century, resulting in cheap and efficient mass production of different types of goods came to be known as Industrial Revolution.
As a result
of Industrial revolution, rate of production went up. New goods were produced.
More people were able to afford goods which were terme as luxury goods. There
are large scale migration of people from villages to towns as emplyment
opportunities expanded, wages increased and more leisure time was aavailable.
As people crowded in towns, their living conditions became deplorable with
problems of housing and sanitation. Poor sewarage system led to epidemics. Women and children
were employed in large number in factories with no safety standards. Men, women
and children worked long hours for poor wages. There was no security of jobs
and if the machines went out of order, the workers had to work even longer
hours. The industrial revolution brought nations together through developments
in the transport and communication.
Before the
revolution, India had supplied finished goods to England. But, things changed
with the Industrial revolution. The search for raw materials, markets and cheap
labour began by the Industrialised European countries. The machines worked
faster and demanded more and more raw materials. They also produced products
which needed to be sold in the world market. With this, the trading depots
expanded into colonies. The European powers then took political control of these
countries so that they could have monoploy over trade and commerce. They also
wanted to control economic policies of these countries. This is why an era of
imperialism began with the advent of the 19th century.
Following
changes took place as a result of British conquest of India:-
1. After 1757, more and
more areas came under the direct control of the company.
2. To help
the British made goods reach the interiors of India and to procure raw materials,
roads were improved and canals were made suitable for steam boats. But, it was
the railway network criss-crossing India that changed the face of India. It
hepled the movement of goods, troops and people.
3. With the
building of Suez Canal, India came closer to England and it became cheaper to
bring British goods to India. Since these were machine made goods, they were
cheaper than the handmade products produced by our craftsmen. So, they drove
our artisians out of business.
4. The Indian hanmade goods were unable to
compete against the much cheaper products of British mills. The factories used
better techniques and steam power. Soon British goods started flooding Indian
markets. At the same time, indian goods sent to Britain faced heavy duties.
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