Which of the following steps was avoided by the Indian nationalists to ensure rapid industrialisation of the economy as the path towards both growth and social equity?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → Promotion of foreign goods
Option (3) Promotion of foreign goods — Correct. For the nationalists, economic exploitation under colonial rule was a central issue, and the Swadeshi movement had strengthened loyalty to the national economy. Their path to growth and social equity was industry built in India; promoting foreign goods would have worked against the very industries they wanted to build. The steps they considered very important were the development of heavy and machine-making industries, expansion of the public sector and holding of a large cooperative sector.
NCERT (2025-26): “Industrialisation in Independent India … For Indian nationalists the issue of economic exploitation under colonial rule was a central issue. Images of pre-colonial fabled riches of India contrasted with the poverty of British India. The Swadeshi movement strengthened the loyalty to the national economy. Modern ideas made people realise that poverty was preventable. Indian nationalists saw rapid industrialisation of the economy as the path towards both growth and social equity. Development of heavy and machine-making industries, expansion of the public sector and holding of a large cooperative sector were considered very important.” |