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| 1. What were the main characteristics of the Indian economy before independence in 1947? |  |
Ans. Pre-independence India was predominantly agrarian, with agriculture contributing over 50% of national income and employing the majority of the population. The economy suffered from deindustrialisation, heavy taxation, limited modern infrastructure, and foreign trade monopolies controlled by British merchants. Per capita income remained extremely low, and industrial development was deliberately restricted to benefit British manufacturing interests.
| 2. How did British colonial policies destroy India's textile and handicraft industries? | |
Ans. British authorities imposed high tariffs on Indian textile exports while flooding Indian markets with cheap British manufactured goods, deliberately undermining local artisans and weavers. Policies prioritised raw material extraction from India for British factories rather than domestic industrial development. This systematic deindustrialisation transformed India from a global manufacturing powerhouse into a supplier of raw materials, collapsing traditional cottage industries and impoverishing millions of craftspeople.
| 3. What was India's share of global GDP on the eve of independence? | |
Ans. India's share of global GDP had declined dramatically from approximately 23% in 1700 to roughly 3-4% by 1947, despite housing nearly 20% of the world's population. This economic decline reflected colonial extraction policies, trade imbalances, and deliberate underinvestment in Indian industrial capacity. The disparity illustrated how colonialism had systematically weakened India's economic position relative to Western industrialised nations.
| 4. Why was the Indian economy so dependent on agriculture during the independence period? | |
Ans. Agriculture dominated the pre-independence economy because British policies discouraged industrial investment and infrastructure development in favour of agricultural export production. Zamindari systems and exploitative land revenue collection further entrapped peasants in subsistence farming. Limited access to credit, technology, and education prevented agricultural modernisation, while British restrictions on manufacturing meant alternative employment opportunities remained scarce across rural regions.
| 5. What infrastructure gaps existed in India's economy at independence that hindered development? | |
Ans. Pre-independence India lacked adequate railways, ports, roads, electricity, and irrigation systems necessary for industrial growth and agricultural advancement. Colonial infrastructure development prioritised resource extraction routes rather than integrated national connectivity. Minimal investment in education, healthcare, and technical institutions created severe human capital shortages. These infrastructure deficits meant newly independent India faced enormous challenges establishing modern manufacturing capacity and improving living standards across its vast population.
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