What factors caused the decline of Indian handicrafts during British rule?
Jessica Cortez
Updated on May 03, 2026
Beside this, what factors affected the decline of Indian handicrafts during the British rule?
1)Free export of raw materials from India or at cheap rates which were to be used in the upcoming modern industries in Britain. 2)Import of British goods in India at very low prices and heavy duty was imposed on export of Indian handicrafts.
Secondly, what are the adverse effect of decline of handicraft industry? Decline of the indigenous handicrafts created the unemployment in India. 2. It created a new demand in the Indian consumers' market which was now deprived of the supply of the local made goods. This demand was profitably met by the increasing import of cheap manufactured goods from Britain.
In this regard, what were the factors which led to the decline of Indian handicrafts?
5 factors depleting the Indian handicraft industry
- Processing and procuring raw materials: Earlier, raw materials used by artisans were largely accessible due to the close links between the evolution of crafts and locally available materials.
- Aggregation and mediator trade:
- Production:
- Markets:
- Demand:
How did the British rulers cripple Indian handicrafts?
Answer: Under British rule the company's servants took over much of the exports and imposed heavy duties on the rest of the export done by Indian merchants. The absence of sufficient profit incurred by Indian traders deeply affected the native manufacturers creating a scarcity of capital for further production.
Related Question Answers
What were the causes for the decline of handicrafts?
1)Free export of raw materials from India or at cheap rates which were to be used in the upcoming modern industries in Britain. 2)Import of British goods in India at very low prices and heavy duty was imposed on export of Indian handicrafts.Which Indian handicraft is most in demand in international market?
These Handicrafts have the highest demand abroad:- Embroidered & Crocheted Goods - INR 3926 Crores.
- Artmetalwares - INR 3763 Crores.
- Handprinted Textiles - INR 3483 Crores.
- Imitation Jewellery - INR 1930 Crores.
- Agarbatties & Attars - INR 966 Crores.
- Zari & Zari Goods - INR 130 Crores.
- Shawls As Artwares - INR 7 Crores.
Which was the indigenous industry destroyed by British?
And so it was that the British destroyed the Indian textile industries for their commercial benefit. India was used as the grower of cotton and market for British cloth, ensuring that the colonised remained subdued and profitable for the coloniser.What were the reasons for the critical condition of Indian craftsmen during colonialism?
Indian craftsmen and artisans resented the British rule because: The British by following the policy of 'Free Trade' destroyed the Indian textile and handicraft industries. While no import duties were levied on the British goods entering into India, high duties were imposed on Indian goods entering into Britain.How did cottage industries in India suffer at the hands of British traders?
British traders influenced cotton Industries in India very badly. They appointed new officers to control the industries of cotton in India and also took taxes on the import and export of cotton goods.How can the condition of handicraft industry be improved?
Here are 8 ways to protect the dying handicraft industry:- Understand the global market:
- Increase interaction with the consumers:
- Recognise it as a source of supplementary income:
- Use this large arena of women's employment:
- Bring back the mixture of old and new designs:
- Understand promotional strategies: