Select a correct statement from the options regarding colonialism and the Indian Market.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option 2: In the precolonial era, India was a significant exporter of manufactured goods, while colonialism converted India into a supplier of raw materials and consumer of manufactured goods from Britain.
Option 1: British colonialism established local markets. This resulted in the flourishing of handicrafts. – Incorrect. Colonialism did not lead to the flourishing of Indian handicrafts. Instead, British policies led to the decline of traditional handicrafts as British manufactured goods entered Indian markets.
Option 2: In the precolonial era, India was a significant exporter of manufactured goods, while colonialism converted India into a supplier of raw materials and consumer of manufactured goods from Britain. – Correct. The NCERT explains that before colonial rule, India exported manufactured goods such as textiles. Under British colonialism, India was transformed into a supplier of raw materials and a market for British manufactured products.