RBSE Solutions Class 8 Social Science Chapter 20 Impact of British Rule in Indian Economy

Rajasthan Board Class 8 Social Science Textbook Questions Solved

Question 1.
(i) The direct way to rob farmers by British was:
(a) direct loot
(b) making law
(c) revenue
(d) free trade policy
(ii) Drain of wealth was first opposed by
(a) Pt. Motilal Nehru
(b) Mahatma Gandhi
(c) Dadabhai Naoroji
(d) Sardar Patel
Answer: (i) (a) (ii) (c)
In simple words: For the first part, the British directly took away from farmers through looting. For the second part, Dadabhai Naoroji was the first to speak against money being taken out of India.

🎯 Exam Tip: When answering multiple choice questions with sub-parts, ensure you provide the correct option for each part clearly as requested.

Question 2. Match part A with part B:

Answer: The table above already shows the correct matches between Part A and Part B. For example, the Battle of Plassey took place in 1757 BC. These dates mark important historical events linked to British rule in India.
In simple words: The table lists historical events in Part A and their matching dates in Part B. Each date correctly goes with its event.

🎯 Exam Tip: When matching historical events with dates, it's crucial to remember the exact year for key events as they often serve as turning points in history.

Question 3. What is De-industrialization?
Answer: De-industrialization is when industries are destroyed or ruined. The British intentionally made policies to harm India's traditional industries. Indian artisans and sculptors could not compete with the cheaper machine-made goods from Britain, which became widely available after the Industrial Revolution in the 19th century. This policy aimed to make India dependent on British goods.
In simple words: De-industrialization means ruining old industries. The British did this to Indian businesses because they could not compete with cheaper machine-made goods from Britain.

🎯 Exam Tip: Clearly define "De-industrialization" and explain the role of British policies and the Industrial Revolution in this process.

Question 4. What is tariff policy? How did it affect the Indian Foreign Trade?
Answer: Tariff policy was a rule set by the British empire where very high taxes were put on goods sent from India to England. At the same time, goods coming from England to India had no tax at all. This policy greatly hurt Indian industries because their goods became too expensive in England, leading to less demand and production in India. This was a planned move by the British government to destroy India's foreign trade and make India a supplier of raw materials and a market for British finished goods. As demand fell, Indian exports to England also dropped.
In simple words: Tariff policy meant high taxes on Indian goods going to England, but no tax on English goods coming to India. This made Indian goods expensive, hurting Indian businesses and foreign trade.

🎯 Exam Tip: Remember to explain both parts of the tariff policy (import and export duties) and its dual impact on Indian industries and foreign trade.

Question 5. How European Industrial Revolution in 19th century affect the Indian Economy?
Answer: When machines were introduced in Europe during the 19th century Industrial Revolution, goods made there became better in quality and cheaper than handmade goods. Because of this, the demand for handmade Indian goods fell greatly. Many artisans and people in handicrafts lost their jobs, especially in Bengal and other parts of India. This change, where traditional cottage industries were ruined, is what historians call De-industrialization. This shift in manufacturing power profoundly changed global economic dynamics.
In simple words: European machines made cheaper, better goods. This caused people to stop buying handmade Indian goods, leading to many Indian craft workers losing their jobs.

🎯 Exam Tip: Focus on the direct impact of machine-made goods on Indian handmade products and the resulting unemployment, linking it to the concept of De-industrialization.

Question 6. Give the reasons behind the declining importance of Masulipatnam port?
Answer: There were several reasons why Masulipatnam port lost its importance:
(i) Towards the end of the 18th century, new trade seaports like Bombay and Calcutta started to grow and become more important.
(ii) The traditional way of trading in India began to decline as new systems took over.
(iii) A new economic system based on colonial rule and imperialism developed, which favored the new British-controlled ports over older ones like Masulipatnam. This centralizing effect was part of a broader British strategy.
In simple words: Masulipatnam port lost importance because new ports like Bombay and Calcutta grew, old trading methods changed, and a new colonial economic system favored other areas.

🎯 Exam Tip: List the reasons clearly, distinguishing between the rise of new ports, the decline of old systems, and the impact of colonial economic changes.

Question 1. What is dominion?
Answer: When a strong country, often with military power, takes political and economic control over another country, the controlled country is then called a dominion of the stronger one. This means the powerful country has authority over the other. Dominions often had some self-governance but remained under the ultimate authority of the ruling power.
In simple words: A dominion is a country that is controlled politically and economically by a more powerful country.

🎯 Exam Tip: Define "dominion" clearly by highlighting both the political and economic control exerted by a stronger nation over another.

Question 2. Name the Portuguese sailor who discovered the sea route to India from Europe.
Answer: The Portuguese sailor who found the sea route to India from Europe was Vasco da Gama. His journey was a very important event in history for trade and connections between continents.
In simple words: Vasco da Gama was the Portuguese sailor who discovered the sea route to India from Europe.

🎯 Exam Tip: Remember the full name of the explorer, Vasco da Gama, as a key figure in the age of discovery.

Question 3. What is Naik?
Answer: Naik refers to posts or checkpoints that the Portuguese set up along the Arabian sea routes. Their purpose was to collect 'octroi duty', which was a type of tax, from ships that passed through those routes. This helped them control trade and earn money. It was an early form of maritime customs collection.
In simple words: Naik refers to checkpoints made by the Portuguese on sea routes to collect taxes (octroi duty) from passing ships.

🎯 Exam Tip: Explain both what a 'Naik' was (a post) and its function (collecting octroi duty from ships).

Question 4. What is land revenue? How did land revenue exploit the peasants?
Answer: Land revenue was a main way the East India Company made money by taking advantage of farmers. The company had unfair rules to collect land revenue from the peasants. This made it very hard for the farmers, causing them to stop farming and, as a result, their large farms were ruined. This system pushed many into poverty and debt.
In simple words: Land revenue was a tax the East India Company collected from farmers. They made the rules unfair, which hurt farmers, stopped them from farming, and ruined their lands.

🎯 Exam Tip: Define land revenue and then clearly explain how the arbitrary policies of the East India Company exploited the peasants, leading to negative consequences.

Question 5. What do you understand by the term 'East Indian Man'?
Answer: The term 'East Indian Man' referred to the very large ships used by the British for trading with India. These ships were essential for carrying goods across long distances between Europe and Asia. They were a symbol of the vast global trade network established by the British. The term also sometimes referred to the company itself, or its employees.
In simple words: 'East Indian Man' was the name given to the very large ships that the British used to trade goods with India.

🎯 Exam Tip: State clearly that 'East Indian Man' refers to the large British trading ships and briefly mention their purpose.