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Consider the following statements with respect to the economic policies during the 19th century British rule in India:
  1. The British economic policies resulted in the ruin of feudalism in Indian Society.
  2. Cultivation of crops like opium and oilseeds increased.
  3. Number of people depending on agriculture decreased due to exploitation under the land revenue systems.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
  • a)
    1 and 3 only
  • b)
    2 and 3 only
  • c)
    2 only
  • d)
    1, 2 and 3
Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer?
Verified Answer
Consider the following statements with respect to the economic policie...
  1. During the British rule, the structure and operation of Indian economy were determined by the interests of the British economy.
    • Drain of Wealth: The Constant flow of wealth from India to England for which India did not get an adequate economic, commercial or material return has described as the Drain of Wealth from India. Major Constituents of Economic Drain are
      (i) Home charges: Dividend to the shareholders of the East India Company, Interest on Public Debt raised abroad, Civil and Military charges, Store purchases in England,
      (ii) Interest on Foreign Capital investments 
    • One way free trade: Cheap and machine-made imports flooded the Indian market after the Charter Act of 1813 allowing one-way free trade for the British citizens. On the other hand, Indian products found it difficult to penetrate the European markets due to high tariffs. 
    • Deindustrialisation led to decline of many cities and a process of ruralisation of India. Many artisans, faced with diminishing returns abandoned their professions, moved to villages and took to agriculture. This resulted in increased pressure on land. Hence there was an increased dependence of population on agriculture which was a major cause of poverty. Hence statement 3 is not correct. 
    • The introduction railways in India inaugurated a new economic era. Railways served commercial, administrative and defence interests of British. In 1853, Dalhousie started the “guarantee system” by which the railway companies were guaranteed a minimum interest of 5% percent on their investment. The government retained the right of buying the railway at the end of the period of contract. 
    • Emergence of Intermediaries: Under British rule, new intermediaries such as merchants, money lenders and other moneyed class emerged. These new zamindars, with increased powers but with little or no avenues for new investments, resorted to land grabbing and sub-infeudation. Hence British led to increase in feudalism in Indian society. Hence statement 1 is not correct. 
    • Commercialisation of Agriculture: Agriculture began to be influenced by commercial considerations. Commercial crops like cotton, jute, groundnut, oilseeds, sugarcane, tobacco, Opium etc., increased. Hence statement 2 is correct.
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Most Upvoted Answer
Consider the following statements with respect to the economic policie...
The correct answer is option C) 2 only.

Explanation:

1) The British economic policies resulted in the ruin of feudalism in Indian Society:
This statement is incorrect. The British economic policies did not result in the ruin of feudalism in Indian society. In fact, the British East India Company initially entered into alliances with Indian princely states and maintained the existing feudal order. They continued to recognize and support the authority of the Indian rulers and landlords, as long as they were loyal to the British. The British influence and dominance over Indian society eventually led to the decline of feudalism, but it was not a deliberate policy objective.

2) Cultivation of crops like opium and oilseeds increased:
This statement is correct. The British introduced a number of commercial crops in India, including opium and oilseeds. Opium cultivation was encouraged by the British as it was a profitable cash crop and was exported to China. Oilseeds were also cultivated extensively to meet the demand for vegetable oils in the British market. These cash crops replaced traditional food crops and had a significant impact on Indian agriculture.

3) Number of people depending on agriculture decreased due to exploitation under the land revenue systems:
This statement is incorrect. The number of people depending on agriculture did not decrease under the British land revenue systems. In fact, the British policies led to the commercialization of agriculture and the expansion of land under cultivation. The British introduced the Permanent Settlement and the Zamindari system, which imposed high land revenue on the peasants. This led to the exploitation of the farmers and increased their dependence on agriculture. The British policies did not provide alternative avenues of employment, leading to a continued reliance on agriculture for their livelihoods.

In conclusion, only statement 2 is correct. The British economic policies did result in the cultivation of crops like opium and oilseeds, but they did not result in the ruin of feudalism or a decrease in the number of people depending on agriculture.
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Consider the following statements with respect to the economic policies during the 19th century British rule in India: The British economic policies resulted in the ruin of feudalism in Indian Society. Cultivation of crops like opium and oilseeds increased. Number of people depending on agriculture decreased due to exploitation under the land revenue systems.Which of the statements given above is/are correct?a)1 and 3 onlyb)2 and 3 onlyc)2 onlyd)1, 2 and 3Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer?
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Consider the following statements with respect to the economic policies during the 19th century British rule in India: The British economic policies resulted in the ruin of feudalism in Indian Society. Cultivation of crops like opium and oilseeds increased. Number of people depending on agriculture decreased due to exploitation under the land revenue systems.Which of the statements given above is/are correct?a)1 and 3 onlyb)2 and 3 onlyc)2 onlyd)1, 2 and 3Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer? for UPSC 2024 is part of UPSC preparation. The Question and answers have been prepared according to the UPSC exam syllabus. Information about Consider the following statements with respect to the economic policies during the 19th century British rule in India: The British economic policies resulted in the ruin of feudalism in Indian Society. Cultivation of crops like opium and oilseeds increased. Number of people depending on agriculture decreased due to exploitation under the land revenue systems.Which of the statements given above is/are correct?a)1 and 3 onlyb)2 and 3 onlyc)2 onlyd)1, 2 and 3Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer? covers all topics & solutions for UPSC 2024 Exam. Find important definitions, questions, meanings, examples, exercises and tests below for Consider the following statements with respect to the economic policies during the 19th century British rule in India: The British economic policies resulted in the ruin of feudalism in Indian Society. Cultivation of crops like opium and oilseeds increased. Number of people depending on agriculture decreased due to exploitation under the land revenue systems.Which of the statements given above is/are correct?a)1 and 3 onlyb)2 and 3 onlyc)2 onlyd)1, 2 and 3Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer?.
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