why did the Indian handicraft and textile industries Perish in British India?
Answers
Answer: Ruin of Indian handicrafts industry and artisans:
The Indian handicrafts that had made the country famous, collapsed under the colonial rule. This was mainly due to the competition posed by the machine made goods that were imported from Britain. ... The British exported raw materials from India like cotton.
Explanation:
The railways facilitated the reach of these goods to remotest parts in India and the procurement of raw materials from these parts. The traditional handicrafts industry faced a tough competition from these goods produced in bulk.
The policy of free trade followed by the East India Company helped them to dictate terms of trade. They compelled the Indian craftsmen to sell their goods below market price and they hired their services at below the prevailing wages.
This forced many a craftsman to abandon their ancestral trade. The British exported raw materials from India like cotton. As a result the Indian weaver had to buy these materials at higher prices. This in turn raised the cost of Indian handicrafts as compared to the machine made goods. Indian goods were also subjected to high tariffs in the English market whereas the British goods gained duty free access into the Indian markets.