Question

(b) “During the colonial period the agricultural sector showed massive stagnation.”
Do you agree with the given statement? Justify your answer with valid arguments.

Hint:

Relate stagnation in colonial agriculture to exploitative policies, lack of infrastructure, and focus on cash crops for strong arguments.

Answer 1

Farmers faced diminished incentives for productivity enhancement due to exploitative land revenue systems, such as the Zamindari system. Mandatory cultivation of export-oriented cash crops like indigo and cotton resulted in recurrent famines, a consequence of neglecting food crop cultivation. Agricultural expansion was impeded by insufficient investment in essential infrastructure, including irrigation, storage, and transportation. Extensive famines were triggered by oppressive policies and insufficient food crop output.