Book Description

This Book Offers A Comprehensive Profile Of The Socio-Economic History Of Modern India From 1757-1947. It Is An Attempt At Giving A Simplified And Balanced Account Of The Complex Events Which Marked The Period Under Review. Throughout The 17Th And 18Th Centuries, India Maintained A Favourable Balance Of Trade, And Had A Stable Economy. Self-Sufficient Agriculture, Flourishing Trade And Rich Handicraft Industries, Which Were Some Of The Main Features Of Indian Economy. During The Last Half Of The 18Th Century, India Was Conquered By A Trading Corporation, The English East India Company. Along With The Consolidation Of British Political Hegemony In India, There Followed, The Colonization Of Its Economy. Further, The British Rule Also Dealt A Fatal Blow To The Peculiar Feudal Framework Which Provided The Matrix For The Indian Society For A Millennium.The British Conquest Led To The De-Industrialization Of The Country And Increased Dependence Of People On Agriculture. The Land System Of The British Ruined The Peasantry, And Agriculture Declined Steadily. It Was Responsible For The Economic Backwardness Of Colonial India. No Doubt, The Establishment Of Modern Industries Gave Rise To The Working Class In India, But The Harsh Conditions In Which They Had To Work Led To Steady Growth Of Proletarian Movement. Similarly The Modern Means Of Communication Were Established Mainly To Serve The Interests Of England In India. During The British Raj, Though The Volume Of Trade Increased, The Balance Of Payment Was Not At All Favourable For India.The Last Six Chapters Of The Book Deal With The Society, Caste Structure, Western Intellectual And Ideological Influence, Socio-Religious Reform Movements, Education, Social Mobility Etc. The Transformation That Came-About Was Limited In Nature. Process Of Social Mobility Has Been At Work In The Modern Periods. At The Same Time We Witnessed The Growing Assertion Of The Lower Castes Against The Higher Castes In The Political And Economic Domains. This Book Is Designed Primarily To Meet The Needs Of The Students And Examinees Offering Social And Economic History Of Modern India As Subjects For Various Universities And Competitive Examinations.