Which of the following is correct in the context of the decline of In...
- By the beginning of the nineteenth century, English made cotton textiles successfully ousted Indian goods from their traditional markets in Africa, America and Europe. By the 1830s British cotton cloth flooded Indian markets.
- In fact, by the 1880s two-thirds of all the cotton clothes worn by Indians were made of cloth produced in Britain. Handloom weaving did not completely die in India. This was because some types of cloth could not be supplied by machines.
Which of the following is correct in the context of the decline of In...
The correct answer is option 'A' - 1 and 2 only. Let's discuss each option in detail to understand why.
1. Competition with English made clothes in their traditional markets:
- This option is correct because the decline of Indian textiles was largely due to the competition faced from English made clothes. The British East India Company began importing textiles from England to India, which gradually replaced the demand for Indian textiles in their traditional markets. The Indian textile industry, which was once flourishing, started to decline as a result of this competition.
2. By the 1830s British cotton cloth flooded in Indian markets:
- This option is also correct. By the 1830s, British cotton cloth indeed flooded the Indian markets. The British East India Company had established a monopoly over the Indian textile market and flooded it with cheap machine-made cotton fabrics. This flooded market left little room for Indian textiles to thrive, leading to a decline in the industry.
3. Handloom weaving completely died in India due to the introduction of machine-made works from Britain:
- This option is incorrect. While the introduction of machine-made textiles from Britain did have a significant impact on the Indian textile industry, it did not completely cause the death of handloom weaving in India. Handloom weaving continued to exist and play a role in the Indian textile industry, although it faced significant challenges due to the influx of cheaper machine-made textiles.
In conclusion, options 1 and 2 correctly identify the factors contributing to the decline of Indian textiles. Option 3, however, is incorrect as it wrongly suggests that handloom weaving completely died in India due to the introduction of machine-made works from Britain.