During British rule, India was primarily reduced to a supplier of raw materials to fuel Britain’s expanding industrial needs, while its own manufacturing sectors, such as textiles and metallurgy, were neglected or actively dismantled. Understanding this exploitative relationship is crucial for gauging how far India has come in its economic development since independence in 1947.

Before British rule, India had a diverse and independent economy. Although agriculture was the main occupation, the country was also renowned for its handicrafts, textiles, and metalwork, which were exported globally. British colonial policies, however, were designed to serve Britain’s interests, converting India into a source of raw materials and a market for British goods. This severely affected the structure and dynamics of the Indian economy.

The Neglect Of National Income Estimates

The British colonial government was never genuinely interested in understanding the economic health of India through metrics like ‘national’ or per capita income. However, some independent efforts were made, notable among them being those by economists like Dadabhai Naoroji, William Digby, Findlay Shirras, V.K.R.V. Rao, and R.C. Desai. While these estimates were not consistent, they did indicate a low level of growth in aggregate real output and a negligible growth in per capita output during the first half of the 20th century.

The textile industry in Bengal, especially during the pre-independence period, was renowned for its production of muslin, a type of cotton textile. This industry was particularly concentrated around Dhaka, formerly spelled as Dacca, which is now the capital city of Bangladesh. Daccai Muslin refers to the muslin produced in this region, and it had garnered global fame for its exceptional quality.

Muslin from Dhaka was known for its fineness and delicate weaving, making it a highly valued fabric. The most superior variety of this textile was called malmal. This term, which sometimes was also referred to as malmal shahi or malmal khas, reflects the high esteem in which it was held. The phrases ‘malmal shahi’ and ‘malmal khas’ translate to “royal muslin” or “muslin for the nobility”, indicating that this fabric was often associated with royalty or was considered suitable for the elite.