Events in the Nineteenth Century: Agriculture and Colonialism

Introduction

The period from the 1870s to the end of the 1910s is commonly referred to as the ‘era of famines and epidemics’ in British India. During this period, the growth of the population was incredibly low, and the mortality rate was high. More than 11 famines occurred during the nineteenth century. At least three out of 11 were major famines resulting in significant loss of lives. More than 5 million people died during the 1876-78 famine. 

This period also witnessed the arrival of diseases such as cholera, plague, malaria, influenza and smallpox. The mortality in India from Influenza was more than approx. 10 million. In particular, when the epidemic of malaria occurred in combination with famine, it caused a substantial toll on human lives. The arrival of diseases combined with famine during this period also severely affected the lives of people. 

When India gained independence in 1947, a majority of Anglo-Indians had already left or were about to leave the country soon. A lot of people working in the civil services witnessed the trauma and bloodbath at the hands of the Britishers. Colonialism was, in fact, a far more traumatising experience for colonial subjects. Due to this, they suffered poverty, malnutrition, diseases, economic and social exploitation, cultural upheaval, political and social disadvantage, and targeted programs specifically aimed to create a sense of social and racial inferiority among people. 

Corn Law and its Abolishment

Since the population was increasing, Britain’s demand for food grain also substantially increased. The landed aristocracy then forced the government to impose restrictions on the import of corn into the country. These laws were then commonly referred to as Corn Laws. 

The promulgation of the Corn Laws then further led to the rise in the prices of food grains. The industrialists and urban dwellers were not satisfied with the Corn Laws, which eventually led to the abolishment of the laws.

After the abolition of the Corn Laws, imported food started flooding the British markets. British agriculture was then unable to compete with imports. This resulted in the abandonment of cultivation in many agricultural fields of Britain. Many farmers began migrating to urban centres in search of employment opportunities.

Labour Pattern in India

During the industrial revolution, working conditions were pathetic. As new factories were being constructed, businesses needed labourers. With many workers available, employers could now exploit labourers by setting wages as minimal as they wanted because the people were needy and were willing to work as long as they were paid. People worked for 14-16 hours a day at a bare minimum wage. Since a large number of labourers were unskilled, employers exploited them as much as they could. 

Skilled labourers, however, earned a little more, but not quite high. Women, however, received one-third or mostly one-half of the payment that men usually received. Children were paid even less. Employers were more interested in making profits, and so they were happy because the labour costs less.

Factories were not at all the ideal places to work. There was no light, and the only light available was the sunlight coming through the windows, and the working conditions were hazardous. Machines exhaled a lot of smoke, and in most of the factories, labourers were entirely covered in black soot by the end of their shift ended. There were a plethora of machines with not many safety precautions. This led to many accidents. The workers only received a break for lunch and a break for dinner. 

Young children were paid extremely less but were made to work for ten to fourteen hours in a day. They were used for small and unskilled jobs. Many children started developing physical deformities due to the lack of exercise and sunlight. The exploitation of children as labour for such long and tedious hours with little or no pay led to the creation of labour unions.

Labour unions were formed as a result of exploitation by the labourers. The main objective of these unions was to help the labourers who worked day and night and were paid measly. These unions demand fair and proper treatment with equal pay. These unions were also against small children working in hazardous conditions in the factories. 

These unions also organised various strikes and protests. However, when more and more immigrants started coming to the United States, more workers were now available. Even when other workers refused to work, these workers were willing to work in spite of the unfair treatment. This, subsequently declined the impact of the labour unions since the businesses now had no shortage of labourers. This is the reason many labour unions were unsuccessful. 

Rinderpest

Rinderpest, commonly known as cattle plague or steppe murrain, was an infectious disease of cattles such as domestic buffalo, deer, wildebeests and warthogs. The symptoms of the disease include fever, oral erosion, lymphoid necrosis, diarrhoea, and high mortality. The death rate during such outbreaks was extremely high, approaching 100% in the immunologically native land. Rinderpest got transmitted by direct contact and drinking contaminated water; however, it was also transmitted by air. 

Role of Technology in the Making Global Economy

In the nineteenth century, many economic, social and political factors transformed society and paved the way for technological transformation. Trade soon began to flourish, and as a result, the market began to expand. With the rise of industrialisation, British cotton manufacturers started rising and subsequently, the export of raw materials also increased. During the nineteenth century, the Indian market began to be flooded by British manufacturers. This, in a way, improved trade in India and helped traders to strengthen their position all across the country.

Conclusion

Nineteenth century colonialism is considered the most disturbing part of Indian history. People suffered economic, political and social injustice, widespread poverty, racial discrimination, cultural upheaval and malnutrition.