What were the economical effects of imperialism?

Answer 1

Upon the arrival of the British in India, they immediately set the indigenous population of farmers to work. Much of the land dedicated to growing the aforementioned staple food sources were converted to cash crops (Webber, 1/6). These cash crops were primarily comprised of jute (a fiber partway between a textile and a wood), oilseeds, and cotton (Satya,11). This produce change resulted in insufficient supplies of food available for the Indian people, despite the fact that, "the proportion of those dependent on agriculture grew to over 70%," (Satya, 4).

More negative impact of British on farming

Despite the injustices forced upon the citizens of India, the British occupation was not without its benefits. The first and foremost within the scope of my essay was the addition of railroads to India. These railroads allowed farmers' crops to reach farther and provided them with an insatiable market for their yearly reaping. Regrettably for those farmers, the railway system was set by and, through ownership, for the British as well. These railways predominantly, "favored shipment to the ports rather than encouraging internal trade. Similarly, it favored raw material export and finished good imports" (Satya, 6).

Another major benefit to food production in India thanks to the British was modern farming techniques and instruments. As an Indian-government-affiliated site described it, "In order to overcome the problem Government of India has introduced a 'Natural Disaster Management Programme'" (AgroWAN, Drought) based on what they have learned from their exposure to the British and other more technologically advanced nations. According to the Indian Department of Agriculture's most recent information availible, in the last fifty years the yield of rice per hectare more than tripled. (IDOC Statistics, 4.6) Unfortunately, no data is available before 1950, but we can assume that around the time the British entered India which had almost no modern farming paraphernalia, their introduction must have been of enormous benefit.

Despite the increase in food production, it is unlikely that this able to overcome the drawbacks of British occupation in India on farming. This would primarily be because of the use of the guarantee system. The guarantee system promised shareholders of the East India Company that, "If the company performed poorly, the taxpayers of India would pay for the loss." (Satya, 2). This essentially meant that the British investors would get returns on their investment, regardless of who has to pay to make it happen. Furthermore, since a bad year for the Company was also likely to be at least partially caused by a bad year for farmers, they would be taxed more heavily in years where they have a reduced amount of food or resources to spare.

In essence, the positive effects for farming of the British inhabitation of India do little to overcome the negative accompaniments to each one.

Answer 2

For the imperial power, it meant both a market to export to, and a source of cheap raw materials. For the colony, it meant trading with a single country and primary-level (mining, farming) being the only major source of employment for the masses.