Economic And Social History Of Modern India 1757 1947

This Book Offers A Comprehensive Profile Of The Socio-Economic History Of Modern India From 1757-1947. It Is An Attempt At Giving A Simplified And Balanced Account Of The Complex Events Which Marked The Period Under Review. Throughout The 17Th And 18Th Centuries, India Maintained A Favourable Balance Of Trade, And Had A Stable Economy. Self-Sufficient Agriculture, Flourishing Trade And Rich Handicraft Industries, Which Were Some Of The Main Features Of Indian Economy. During The Last Half Of The 18Th Century, India Was Conquered By A Trading Corporation, The English East India Company. Along With The Consolidation Of British Political Hegemony In India, There Followed, The Colonization Of Its Economy. Further, The British Rule Also Dealt A Fatal Blow To The Peculiar Feudal Framework Which Provided The Matrix For The Indian Society For A Millennium.The British Conquest Led To The De-Industrialization Of The Country And Increased Dependence Of People On Agriculture. The Land System Of The British Ruined The Peasantry, And Agriculture Declined Steadily. It Was Responsible For The Economic Backwardness Of Colonial India. No Doubt, The Establishment Of Modern Industries Gave Rise To The Working Class In India, But The Harsh Conditions In Which They Had To Work Led To Steady Growth Of Proletarian Movement. Similarly The Modern Means Of Communication Were Established Mainly To Serve The Interests Of England In India. During The British Raj, Though The Volume Of Trade Increased, The Balance Of Payment Was Not At All Favourable For India.The Last Six Chapters Of The Book Deal With The Society, Caste Structure, Western Intellectual And Ideological Influence, Socio-Religious Reform Movements, Education, Social Mobility Etc. The Transformation That Came-About Was Limited In Nature. Process Of Social Mobility Has Been At Work In The Modern Periods. At The Same Time We Witnessed The Growing Assertion Of The Lower Castes Against The Higher Castes In The Political And Economic Domains. This Book Is Designed Primarily To Meet The Needs Of The Students And Examinees Offering Social And Economic History Of Modern India As Subjects For Various Universities And Competitive Examinations.

The studies on economic history of modern India had a very late beginning. During the early stage of historiography, a few historians recognized the connection between political and economic history remained a chapter on economic conditions only. Causes and effects of economy were never and analyzed. This book attempts to fill that gap. Examining the characteristic of a colonial economy, the book discusses the process of colonizing Indian economy, with speared focus on monopolistic trade tactics, banning of Indian products in Britain, transformation of trade after industrial revolution and entry of foreign enterprises in India. It also extend an elaborate discussion on land settlement, revenue policies, commercialization of agriculture, decline of handicrafts, state of irrigation, development of transport and communication and currency. Finally, it evaluates economic impact of British rule and addresses the issue of economic drain from India.

Much has been written on the Indian economy but this is the first major attempt to present India's economic history as a continuous process, and to place the development of agriculture, industry and currency in a political and historical context.

The studies on economic history of modern India had a very late beginning. During the early stage of historiography, a few historians recognized the connection between political and economic history remained a chapter on economic conditions only. Causes and effects of economy were never and analyzed. This book attempts to fill that gap.Examining the characteristic of a colonial economy, the book discusses the process of colonizing Indian economy, with speared focus on monopolistic trade tactics, banning of Indian products in Britain, transformation of trade after industrial revolution and entry of foreign enterprises in India. It also extend an elaborate discussion on land settlement, revenue policies, commercialization of agriculture, decline of handicrafts, state of irrigation, development of transport and communication and currency. Finally, it evaluates economic impact of British rule and addresses the issue of economic drain from India.

First Published in 2000. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

This Is One Of The Few Detailed And Updated Textbooks On The Economic History Of Colonial India.

"This volume brings together interdisciplinary perspectives on British colonial rule in India. It draws on sociology, history, and political science to look at key events and social process, between 1757 to 1947, to provide a comprehensive understanding of the colonial history. It begins with the introductory backdrop of the British East India Company when its ship docked at Surat in 1603 and ends with the partition and independence in 1947. A compelling read, the book explores a range of key themes which include: early colonial polity, economic transformation, colonial educational policies, and other initial developments; the revolt of 1857 and its aftermath; colonial subjectivities and ethnographic interventions, colonial capitalism and its insititutions, constitutional developments in colonial India; early nationalist politics, the rise of Indian National Congress, the role of Gandhi in nationalist politics, and the Quit India movement; social movements and gender politics under the colonial rule; partition of India and independence. Accessibly written and exhaustive, this volume will be essential reading for students, teachers, scholars, and researchers of political science, history, sociology and literature"--