Notes Class 10 History Chapter 4 The Age of Industrialisation

Notes For All Chapters History Class 10 CBSE

Introduction

• In 1900, E.T. Paull published a picture called Dawn of the Century showing the “Angel of Progress” with symbols of modernity like the railway, camera, printing press, and factory.
• Another image (Two Magicians) showed Aladdin representing the East and the past, while a modern mechanic represented the West and modernity.
• These images glorified machines, technology, and industrialisation as progress.
• But the history of industrialisation is more complex — it was not always rapid and did not benefit everyone equally.

1. Before the Industrial Revolution

• Industrialisation is often linked with factories, but large-scale production existed before factories.
• This early phase is called Proto-industrialisation.
• In the 17th–18th centuries:
  • Merchants from towns moved to the countryside to get goods produced for international markets.
  • Urban guilds (craft associations) restricted production in towns, so merchants turned to rural peasants.
  • Poor peasants, losing access to common lands, worked for merchants to supplement income.
  • Merchants gave them money in advance to produce goods.
• Example: In England, wool was bought by cloth merchants → given to spinners → then to weavers, fullers, dyers → finishing done in London for export.
• Result: A close link between town and countryside, with thousands working from homes under merchant control.

2. The Coming up of the Factory

• First factories appeared in the 1730s, expanded rapidly in the late 18th century.
• Cotton became the symbol of industrialisation.
• Britain imported 2.5 million pounds of raw cotton in 1760, rising to 22 million pounds by 1787.
• Inventions like the spinning jenny, water frame, and carding machines increased output.
• Richard Arkwright created the cotton mill, where costly machines were set up under one roof, with supervision and labour regulation.
• By the 19th century, factories became a major part of the English landscape, though small workshops still existed.

3. The Pace of Industrial Change

• Dynamic industries – Cotton led till 1840s, then iron and steel grew with railways.
• Traditional industries remained strong – Even in 19th century, less than 20% of workers were in advanced industries. Much textile work still done in homes.
• Small innovations improved pottery, glass, food processing, tanning, furniture, etc.
• New technology spread slowly – Machines were costly, broke down, and required repairs. Example: Steam engine by James Watt (1781) was slow to be adopted.
• Conclusion: Most workers in mid-19th century were still craftspersons, not machine operators.

4. Hand Labour and Steam Power

• Britain had abundant labour, so wages were low.
• Industrialists did not always prefer machines (which required high investment).
• Seasonal industries (gas works, breweries, bookbinders, ship repair) preferred hand labour.
• Handmade goods:
  • Could produce intricate designs and multiple varieties.
  • In 19th century, Britain had 500 kinds of hammers, 45 kinds of axes.
  • Upper classes valued hand-crafted products as a sign of refinement.
• Machine-made goods were mainly for export.
• In countries with labour shortage (like USA), machines spread faster.

Life of Workers

• Labourers came to cities in large numbers but jobs were uncertain.
• Many had to depend on kinship and social networks to find work.
• Work was seasonal, leading to unemployment during off-seasons.
• Wages often fell due to inflation (Napoleonic Wars).
• Fear of unemployment → workers opposed machines (e.g., women attacked Spinning Jenny).
• From 1840s, building projects (railways, tunnels, drains) created more jobs.

5. Industrialisation in the Colonies (India)

5.1 The Age of Indian Textiles

• Before machine industries, India’s silk and cotton dominated world markets.
• Fine cotton (muslin, chintz) was highly demanded in Central Asia, West Asia, and Europe.
• Ports: Surat (Gujarat), Masulipatam (Coromandel), Hoogly (Bengal).
• Indian merchants and bankers financed production and trade.
• By mid-18th century:
  • European companies gained power, secured monopoly rights, and controlled ports.
  • Surat and Hoogly declined, while Bombay and Calcutta grew.

5.2 What Happened to Weavers?

• Early on, East India Company expanded textile exports from India.
• After gaining political power:
  • Appointed gomasthas to supervise weavers.
  • Gave loans/advances to control production.
  • Forbade weavers from dealing with other buyers.
• Gomasthas often acted harshly → led to clashes, migration, and revolts.
• By 19th century, weavers faced crisis: export market declined, low prices, and heavy dependence on Company.

5.3 Manchester Comes to India

• By early 1800s, Britain’s cotton industry expanded.
• Manchester pressured the government to:
  • Impose import duties on Indian textiles in Britain.
  • Promote sale of British goods in India.
• Imports of British cloth rose sharply (31% of Indian imports by 1850).
• Indian weavers suffered:
  • Export markets collapsed.
  • Local markets flooded with cheap Manchester goods.
  • American Civil War (1860s) caused cotton shortages, prices rose, weavers could not afford raw material.
  • By late 19th century, Indian factories also added competition.

6. Factories Come Up in India

• First cotton mill: Bombay, 1854 (production in 1856).
• By 1862: 4 mills with 94,000 spindles, 2,150 looms.
• Jute mills in Bengal (1855 onwards).
• Elgin Mill (Kanpur, 1860s), first mill in Ahmedabad (1861), first Madras mill (1874).

6.1 Early Entrepreneurs

• Many Indian industrialists had earlier made money from China trade (opium, tea).
• Examples:
  • Dwarkanath Tagore (Bengal) invested in many industries.
  • Dinshaw Petit, Jamsetjee Tata (Bombay Parsis) made wealth from cotton exports and China trade.
  • Seth Hukumchand (Calcutta) – first Indian jute mill (1917).
  • Birla family – also linked to China trade.
• Indian traders faced restrictions – barred from European markets, edged out of shipping.
• Till WWI, European managing agencies (Bird Heiglers, Andrew Yule, Jardine Skinner) controlled many Indian industries.

6.2 Where Did the Workers Come From?

• Workers mainly came from nearby villages.
• Example: 50% of Bombay mill workers from Ratnagiri.
• Migrants often went home during harvest/festivals.
• Entry into mills controlled by jobbers (old workers who recruited new ones, often demanded money/gifts).
• Working conditions were tough (long hours, diseases, poor wages)

7. Peculiarities of Industrial Growth in India

• European agencies invested mainly in plantations (tea, coffee), mining, indigo, jute – for export.
• Indian industries produced coarse yarn (thread) for weavers and export to China.
• By early 20th century:
  • Swadeshi movement encouraged boycott of foreign cloth.
  • Indian mills shifted from yarn to cloth production.
• During World War I:
  • British mills were busy with war needs.
  • Indian industries supplied uniforms, tents, jute bags, leather boots, etc.
  • Production boomed.
• After war, Manchester could not regain market. Indian industries grew stronger.

7.1 Small-Scale Industries Predominate

• Large factories were limited (mainly in Bengal and Bombay).
• Most industrial labour worked in small workshops or homes.
• Handloom production revived in 20th century due to:
  • Fly shuttle (improved loom) – increased productivity.
  • Specialised designs (Banarasi saris, Madras lungis) which mills could not copy.
• Rich buyers continued demand for fine cloth, even during famines.

8. Market for Goods

• To sell new products, advertisements were used.
• Manchester cloth had labels with:
  • “Made in Manchester” for quality assurance.
  • Images of gods (Lakshmi, Saraswati, Krishna) to appeal to Indians.
  • Pictures of kings/nawabs for prestige.
• Calendars were used as advertising tools, visible even in poor homes and shops.
• Indian manufacturers used advertisements to promote Swadeshi message: buy Indian goods for the sake of the nation.