Various factors that ruined Indian Handicrafts and industry in the 19th Century

India was not an industrial country in the true and modern sense of that term. But by the standards of the 17th & 18th centuries, before the advent of the Europeans in India, India was the "industrial workshop" of the world. Three kinds of industries existed in India  - 

1. Rural cottage industry - weaving, carpentry, pottery and other home-based work.
2. The urban domestic industry - Fine textile etc that involved households
3. The small urban factory producing more sophisticated products like the iron industry

The products of the Indian industry enjoyed a worldwide reputation. the urban industry occupied a very favourable and important position in India's economic activity. In spite of this, we are confronted with the problem of rapid decline, which, though in some cases began as early as the end of the 18th century, became very marked about the middle of the 19th century. The process came to be known as "de-industrialisation".

Economic historians, however, differ on the issue of whether de-industrialisation had at all taken place or not nationalist. 

Causes of Decline - 

The major causes of the decline in handicrafts in India during British rule were as follows - 

- The disappearance of court culture 

The main source of demand for the products of these handicrafts came from the royal courts and the urban aristocrats. With the abolition of the royal court, the main source of demand for the product of handicrafts ceased to exist and handicrafts began to decline. 

"Karkhanas" which were set up in different parts of the country to provide the requirements of the royal court and the urban nobility had to be closed down when the establishment of Britisher rule in India dislodged the local rulers and their camp followers. 

-Adverse influence of British rule on taste and habit 

The establishment of British rule affected the existence of handicrafts, With the virtual elimination of the demand for the industry following the disappearance of noble courts, the industry wished new source of demand from the European officials and tourists and from the 'baboos' and black Indian 'Sahibs". The European officials favoured imported manufacturers. The consumption habits of the newly educated Indians also dealt a crippling blow to the industries. This newly created Indian 'bourgeoisies" not only disdained the products of indigenous industries but also tried to copy everything European which was considered to be the hallmark of enlightenment. 

-Weakening of Guilds 

British also indirectly weakened the power of guilds and other bodies which regulated trade and controlled the quality of material used. As soon as the supervising bodies were removed, many evils such as adulteration of materials, poor workmanship etc began to creep in which led to a decline in the value, artistic and commercial of the wares. 

-Competition from European Manufacturers 

The competition from the European manufacturers was also partly responsible for the decline of Indian handicrafts. in the matter of quality, the Indian weaver could easily hold his own. But I the matter of price, he was hopelessly beaten by the machine-made goods. Great regard for everything foreign by the Indian middle class helped foreign goods a great deal in their completion with Indian textiles. Thus, the process of decay which began with the establishment of foreign rule got completed by competition from foreign goods. 

- Tariff Policy 

The tariff policy pursued by the British government was also responsible for the decay of handicrafts. the tariff policy came to be known as 'one-way free trade'. To put her manufacturing industries on sound looting at home. England pursued the policy of protection through the imposition of import duties. But for India, she preached the gospel of free trade. RC Dutt wrote that the East India Company followed the selfish commercial policy of a hundred years ago, discouraging Indian manufacturers of England. Their policy was to make India subservient to the industries of Great Britain and to make the Indian producer grow raw materials for the industries of England. 

Indian cotton and silk good which could be sold at a price 50-0% lower than the price of cloth manufacturers in England were subjected to import duties varying from 70-80% in England simply to drive them out of the British market. 

-Weak Industrial Structure 

Some people argue that the weakness in the industrial structure itself must also be blamed for this decline of handicrafts. No efforts were made to explore markets for products. Indian foreign trade was in the hand of foreigners. This meant that Indian artisans and producers were at the mercy of foreign merchants so far as sales or demand propagation in overseas markets were concerned. 

- Exploitation of Craftsmen by Merchants 

As the power of native rulers declined, British merchants and their commission agents began to exercise illegitimate pressure on craftsmen to deliver goods to them on a priority basis at unduly low prices. Craftsmen were forced to sign agreements for delivery. Due to exploitation, Indian craftsmen were forced to abandon their crafts in some cases or flee to regions where more sympathetic policies were still pursued. 

Conclusion - 

In Conclusion, several factors contributed to the decline of handicrafts in 19th century India. the introduction of modern technologies and machinery, the growth of European colonial rule and the resulting economic policies, the change in consumer demand and the lack of government support were some significant factors that played a role in the decline. These factors led to a shift toward mass-produced factory-made goods and a decline in the demand for handicraft products, leading to a significant impact on the livelihood of artisan and their communities, while some traditional handicrafts continue to thrive, the decline of others has had long-lasting effects on Indian cultural heritage and economy.