Which of the following cities was outside the economic system of the colonial empire?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → Bhopal
The colonial empire ran its economy through coastal port cities. Raw materials such as cotton, jute and indigo were shipped out from Bombay, Calcutta and Madras, and factory goods from Britain came in through them. These three cities were the link between the centre of the empire in Britain and its margins in India. Bhopal is an inland city, not one of the coastal cities through which the empire ran its trade.
NCERT (2025-26): “1.2 Urbanisation and Industrialisation … Cities had a key role in the economic system of empires. Coastal cities such as Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai were favoured. From here primary commodities could be easily exported and manufactured goods could be cheaply imported. Colonial cities were the prime link between the economic centre or core in Britain and periphery or margins in colonised India.…” |