Class 10 History Chapter 2 Practice Question Answers - India and the Contemporary World - II

Q1: Explain the main features of proto-industrialisation.
Ans: Proto-industrialization refers to the earliest phase of industrialization. The following were the main features of proto-industrialization.

• The production was done by hands.
• It was controlled by merchants or guilds who had monopoly rights to produce and trade goods.
• Generally family members were involved in the production process.
• Production was carried out in countryside.

Q2: Throw light on production during the proto-industrialisation phase in Europe in the 17th and 18th century with an example.
Ans: Production during proto-industrialisation phase in Europe was as follows.

• Merchants began moving to countryside to set up production units.
• Advances were offered to the peasants and artisans to persude them to produce for international market.
• Production was carried out in stages. Wool purchased from stapler was sent to spinners, weavers, fullers and then dyers. Finishing was done in London before export.
• Production was controlled by merchants.
• Production was done within family farms, employing family members

Q3: Mention any three restrictions imposed by the British government upon the Indian merchants in 19th century.
Ans: The following restrictions were imposed by the British government upon the Indian merchants in the 19th century.

• Monopoly on trade was imposed. Indian merchants were not allowed to
• trade in items under colonial control. They were not allowed enough space for trade operations.
• Indians were barred from trading with Europe in manufactured goods. They could only export raw materials and foodgrains.
• Indian businessmen were not allowed to join the European Managing Agencies. Indians could only provide capital while Managing Agencies made investments and took business-related decisions.

Q4: The East India Company was keen on expanding textile exports from India during the 1760s because of the following reasons.
Ans: Consolidation of East India Company power after the 1760s did not initially lead to a decline in textile export from India. British cotton industries had not yet expanded. They needed raw material as well as finished goods to feed their industries and satisfy their demand in England. Fine Indian textile was very popular in Europe and therefore was in great demand. As compared to other countries, textile from India besides being popular, was available at a cheaper price. Textile trade from India was thus second to be very profitable for the company.

Q5: How did many Indian Entrepreneurs survive despite tight economic controls imposed by the British Government?
Ans: Many Indian Entrepreneurs survive despite tight economic controls imposed by the British Government because of the following reasons.

• When Indian businessmen began to set up industries in the late nineteenth century, they avoided competing with Manchester goods in the Indian market.
• As the Swadeshi movement reached its peak, nationalists advised people
• to boycott foreign cloth and it worked.
• Industrial groups organised themselves to protect their collective interests too. They pressurised the government to increase tariff protection and grant other concessions.
• When the export of Indian yarn to China declined because of Chinese and Japanese yarn, industrialists in India began to produce cloth.

Q6: Why were there frequent clashes between Gomasthas and weavers in the villages? Explain five reasons.
Ans: The following were the reasons for the clashes between the gomasthas and the weavers in the villages.

• The gomasthas were outsiders and had no social link with villagers.
• They were arrogant and marched into village with sepoys and peons.
• They punished weavers for delay in supply.
• The weavers could not sell their cloth to other buyers because they had to sell to the company due to the loans they took from them.
• They had to accept the price offered by the company to them, although it was very low.

Q7: Explain any five ways by which new markets and consumes were created in India by British manufacturers.
Ans: The following are the five ways by which new markets and consumers were created in India by British manufacturers.

• The products were advertised through newspapers, magazine, hoardings, street walls, etc.
• Products like cloth ‘ ere labelled with place of manufacturing along with company’s name to make the consumer familiar with the product.
• Images of Indian gods and goddesses were also illustrated to show the association with gods and divide approval of the product by gods.
• Manufactures also printed calendars to popularise their product. It appealed the people who could not read.
• Nationalist messages were also used to popularise the product and expand market with the country.

Q8: Why did the upper classes in Victorian period preferred things produced by hand?
Ans: The upper class in Victorian period preferred things produced by hand because of the following reasons.

• Handmade products symbolized refinement and class.
• They were better finished and carefully designed.
• Handmade products are of different designs.

Q9: Describe any three functions of gomasthas.
Ans: Gomasthas were connecting links between the British and the weavers. The following were the main functions of the Gomasthas.

• Supervision of weavers for their work
• Collection of finished products
• Examination of quality of products
• Giving punishments to weavers and information to British

Q10: Explain the effects of East India Company’s exploitative methods of asserting monopoly over trade
Ans: The following were the effects of the East India Company’s exploitative methods of asserting monopoly over trade.

• Many peasants and weavers deserted the villages and had to migrate to other villages.
• In many places, there were revolts and clashes against the Company and its officials.
• Weavers began refusing loans and closed down their workshops. They took to agricultural labourers.

Q11: “In eighteenth-century Europe, the peasants and artisans in the countryside readily agreed to work for the merchants.” Explain any three reasons.
Ans: The peasants and artisans in countryside readily agreed to work for merchants because of the following reasons.

• With the end of open field system and enclosing of commons, poor peasants had to look for alternate source of income to survive.
• Many peasants and artisans owned small plots of land, which did not provide
• enough produce and work for all household members.
• By working for merchants, the peasants and artisans could retain in the countryside and cultivate their land. Hence, when advances were offered to them, they readily accepted. Income from working for merchants supplemented their savings. It also allowed them to use their household 1 members to the maximum.

Q12: Describe the condition of the workers in the nineteenth century in England.
Ans: The lifestyle of the workers of mid-nineteenth century in Britain was as under.

• Abundance of labour created a critical situation for workers. Job seekers were more in number than the jobs. The possibility of getting a job depended on friendship network and kin relations.
• Waiting periods were long, labourers spent nights under bridges or in night shelters.
• Seasonality of work further made the situation worse. Many were forced to do odd jobs.
• Prices increased with increase in income, which diminished wage increase.
• Another problem was that the number of days of work determined the average daily income.Thus, it could be summed that workers led a miserable life in the nineteenth century in England.

Q13: Why could Manchester never recapture its old position in the Indian market after the First World War? Explain.
Ans: Manchester could never recapture its old position in the Indian market after the First World War because of the following reasons.

• The First World War created a dramatically new situation which occupied British mills for aiding war production to meet the needs of the army.
• Manchester imports into India declined. This gave Indian mills an opportunity to supply to the Indian market.
• As the war stretched, Indian factories also supported the war effort by supplying war needs like jute bags, cloth for army uniforms, tents and leather boots, horse and mule saddles and a host of other items.
• New factories were established and old ones ran more than one shifts. New workers were employed and work hour increased. It consolidated the position of Indian industries.
• After the war, Britain could not modernise and compete with the United States, Germany and Japan. The production from Manchester collapsed and export fell.

Q14: “By the first decade of the twentieth century a series of changes affected the pattern of industrialization in India.” Support the statement with examples.
Ans: The following series of changes affected the pattern of industrialization in India.

• Swadeshi movement gathered momentum in the first decade of the twentieth century. Nationalists mobilised people to boycott foreign cloth and use Indian-made textile.
• Industrial groups also organised themselves to protect their collective interests, pressurising the government to increase tariff protection and grant other concessions.
• There was a decline in Indian yarn exports, so industrialists in India began shifting from yarn production to cloth production.
• The First World War created a dramatically new situation. Indian industries were called to produce war needs.
• New factories were set up and old ones ran multiple shifts. Many new workers were employed and everyone was made to work longer hours.
• Over the war years Indian industrial production boomed and Indian industries consolidated their position and captured home market.

Q15: Why was it difficult for East India Company to procure regular supplies of goods for export in the beginning? Explain.
Ans: East India Company was finding it difficult to procure regular supplies of goods for export in the beginning because of the following reasons.

• Apart from Britain, there were other European trading companies, like the French, Dutch and Portuguese, competing for woven cloth.
• It gave opportunities to the weavers and the supply merchants to sell commodities at a high rate to the best buyer. So prices were high.
• East India Company also did not have political control to impose its monopoly as it did later.

Q16: Explain the role played by advertisements in creating new consumers for the British products.
Ans: From the very beginning of the industrial age, advertisements have played an important role in expanding markets for products and shaped a new consumer culture.

• Advertisements created an inspiration among people to consume those products. People began to believe that consuming British products meant acquiring a higher social status akin to the British.
• To impress Indian consumers, images of Indian gods and goddesses were used to show divine approval to the goods to be sold.
• Advertisements made products appear desirable and necessary. So people were more confident while buying them.

Q17: “Historians now have come to increasingly recognize that the typical worker in the mid-nineteenth century was not a machine operator but the traditional craftsperson and labourer.” Analyse the statement.
Ans: The typical worker in the mid-nineteenth century was not a machine operator but the traditional craftsperson and labourer.

• Less than 20% of the total workforce Was employed in advanced technological industrial centres.
• The traditional craftsmen and their handmade things were more popular as aristocratic class preferred handmade items. It defined their class and status.
• Much of the industries were based on season like food processing, pottery, book binding, catering, ship repairing, etc. Machines would be huge investment with no work. They thus preferred hand labour.
• There were wide range of products that could only be produced by hand because of their varied designs, better finishing and specific shapes. Machines would produce similar products.
• There was no shortage of human hands. Producers were thus in no state to shift to machines.

Q18: What were guilds? How did they make it difficult for new merchants to set business in towns of England? Explain.
Ans: Guilds were the associations of artisans or merchants who controlled the practise of their craft and trade in a particular city. They were very powerful as they were granted monopoly rights by the rulers to produce and trade in specific product. They themselves trained the people in their trade or craft. They regulated competition and restricted the entry of new people in the trade. This made it difficult for the new merchants to set up their business in towns of England.

Q19: How did the seasonality of employment affect the lives of Indian workers during 18th century?Explain.
Ans: Ans. Seasonality of employment affected the lives of the Indian workers during the 18th century in the following ways.

• Seasonality of work meant prolonged period of unemployment. Workers were forced again on streets.
• Many went back to their villages.
• Others looked for odd jobs in the cities.

Q20: Why did the East India Company appoint gomashthas? Give three reasons.
Ans: East India company appointed gomashthas because of the following reasons.

• The British wanted to develop a system of management and control to eliminate competition, control costs and ensure regular supplies of cotton and silk goods.
• For that, the British appointed a paid servant, called the gomastha, to supervise weavers, collect supplies and examine the quality of cloth.
• It prevented company weavers from dealing with other buyers. Those who took loans had to hand over the cloth they produced to the gomastha. They could not take it to any other trader.