What led the craftsmen and weavers to face unfair competition?
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Answer:
Till the middle of eighteenth century Indian handicraft products were greatly demanded in the markets all over the world. Specifically European markets needed constant supply of Indian handicraft-products. The European traders and trading organizations made huge profits by selling Indian products. Indian textile products had no equals and those products were the symbol of craftsmanship and artistry. Indian cotton textiles became a house hold name in England.
But the Industrial Revolution in England and the economic policy of the East India Company jointly closed the markets for Indian handicrafts. In England machines went for large scale productions and those machine products were cheap and colorful. Not only markets but also the British Government as well as manufacturers encouraged the supply of their machine products to European markets.
As a result, the British machine-products entered into unfair competition with Indian products. Handicrafts of India could not sustain the pressure of the competition with cheaper machine goods. Thus, those were driven out of European markets. Further, the British trade policy proved extremely fatal for Indian handicrafts. In 1813, trade monopoly was abolished and one way free trade policy was imposed on India. By this policy the British machine products were imported to India freely and the export of Indian goods to England was discouraged by imposition of heavy duties on those products.
Hope it helps you..