(Great Bengal Famine (1770), Madras (1876–78), Bombay (1899),Colonial mismanagement and laissez-faire approach, Famine Commissions and flawed relief policies, Creation of a poverty-stricken rural India, Nationalist critiques of British famine policy)
| For aspirants preparing for the UPSC Prelims and Mains, a deep understanding of this topic not only enriches the grasp of modern Indian history but also enhances analytical capabilities relevant for GS Paper I and Essay Paper. |
The British colonial period in India, spanning nearly two centuries, saw the emergence of widespread poverty and recurring famines, which starkly contrasted with the relative prosperity of pre-colonial agrarian systems.
1. The Great Bengal Famine (1770): The First Major Catastrophe
The Great Bengal Famine of 1770 stands as one of the earliest and deadliest famines under British rule. Occurring under the administration of the East India Company, it resulted in the death of approximately 10 million people, nearly one-third of Bengal’s population. Key factors included:
● Exploitative revenue policies, notably the Permanent Settlement of 1793, which prioritized revenue collection over agricultural welfare.
● Lack of administrative response and the absence of famine relief measures. ● Laissez-faire economic ideology, discouraging government intervention even during humanitarian crises.
2. Madras Famine (1876–78): A Man-Made Disaster
The famine that hit the Madras Presidency in the late 19th century further underscored the lethal consequences of British policies:
● Nearly 5.5 million deaths due to starvation and related diseases.
● Export of food grains during the crisis, driven by free-market ideology.
● Emphasis on rail and canal construction for commercial benefits rather than relief distribution.
3. Bombay Famine (1899): A Failure of Relief Mechanisms
Despite the existence of multiple famine commissions by this time, the Bombay famine revealed persistent administrative failures:
● Inadequate and poorly administered relief camps.
● Continuation of grain exports amidst widespread hunger.
● Minimal wage provisions under relief work, insufficient to sustain workers. 4. Colonial Mismanagement and the Laissez-Faire Approach
The consistent theme across these famines was the British adherence to laissez-faire economics, heavily influenced by utilitarian thought. Key issues included:
● Reluctance to disrupt market forces, even during mass starvation.
● Resistance to import food grains, fearing market distortion.
● Policy of ‘Malthusianism’ — viewing famines as natural checks on population. 5. Famine Commissions: Superficial Solutions
Several commissions were established post-1870s, such as the Famine Commission of 1880, yet they often failed to bring systemic reforms:
● Recommendations were poorly implemented.
● Relief codes emphasized cost-effectiveness over adequacy.
● Absence of community participation in relief planning.
6. The Creation of a Poverty-Stricken Rural India
The structural transformation of Indian agriculture under colonialism led to chronic rural distress:
● Deindustrialization of rural crafts and increased dependency on agriculture. ● Shift to cash crop cultivation, reducing food security.
● High taxation and usurious land revenue systems.
7. Nationalist Critiques of British Famine Policy
Leaders and thinkers like Dadabhai Naoroji, R.C. Dutt, and M.G. Ranade vocally criticized British famine policy:
● Naoroji’s ‘Drain Theory’ highlighted the extraction of wealth leading to Indian poverty. ● Dutt’s writings blamed the economic policies for repeated famines.
● Nationalists demanded indigenous control and planning for famine relief. Conclusion
Famines under British rule were not mere natural calamities but were deeply entrenched in colonial economic and administrative policies. The recurring nature of these disasters reveals the systemic neglect and prioritization of imperial interests over Indian lives.
| For UPSC aspirants, understanding this theme provides a comprehensive lens into colonial governance, economic policy failures, and the roots of modern India’s socio-economic challenges. |
MCQ
1. The Great Bengal Famine of 1770 occurred under the administration of:
A) British Crown
B) Nawab of Bengal
C) East India Company
D) Governor-General Warren Hastings
Answer: C) East India Company
Explanation: The famine occurred when Bengal was under the control of the East India Company, which prioritized revenue over welfare.
2. Which of the following was a major cause of the Great Bengal Famine of 1770?
A) Excessive monsoon rains
B) Wars with the Marathas
C) Permanent Settlement of 1793
D) Exploitative revenue policies and lack of relief
Answer: D) Exploitative revenue policies and lack of relief
Explanation: The famine was exacerbated by high revenue demands and administrative apathy, not natural causes alone.
3. Assertion (A): The Madras Famine of 1876–78 led to widespread starvation. Reason (R): The British government prioritized export of food grains even during the famine.
A) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A
B) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A
C) A is true, R is false
D) A is false, R is true
Answer: A) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A
Explanation: Food grains continued to be exported despite the famine, worsening the situation. 4. Which Famine Commission was the first to be established by the British?
A) Famine Commission of 1898
B) Famine Commission of 1880
C) Famine Commission of 1871
D) Famine Inquiry Commission of 1943
Answer: B) Famine Commission of 1880
Explanation: After the devastating Madras famine, the first official Famine Commission was established in 1880.
5. The economic philosophy guiding British famine policy was primarily:
A) Protectionism
B) Laissez-faire
C) Mercantilism
D) Socialism
Answer: B) Laissez-faire
Explanation: The British believed in minimal government intervention in markets, even during famines.
6. Statement I: Relief works during the Bombay Famine (1899) were successful in preventing deaths.
Statement II: Relief wages were often insufficient and poorly administered.
A) Both statements are correct
B) Only Statement I is correct
C) Only Statement II is correct
D) Both statements are incorrect
Answer: C) Only Statement II is correct
Explanation: Relief mechanisms during the Bombay famine were poorly implemented and inadequate.
7. Who among the following proposed the ‘Drain Theory’?
A) M.G. Ranade
B) Gopal Krishna Gokhale
C) Dadabhai Naoroji
D) Bal Gangadhar Tilak
Answer: C) Dadabhai Naoroji
Explanation: Naoroji proposed that wealth was being systematically drained from India to Britain, leading to poverty.
8. Which of the following did NOT contribute to rural poverty under British rule?
A) Cash crop cultivation
B) High taxation
C) Promotion of cottage industries
D) Deindustrialization
Answer: C) Promotion of cottage industries
Explanation: Cottage industries declined under British rule due to industrial imports from Britain.
9. Which famine exposed the failure of multiple famine commissions and led to criticism of British relief efforts?
A) Orissa Famine (1866)
B) Madras Famine (1876–78)
C) Bombay Famine (1899)
D) Bengal Famine (1943)
Answer: C) Bombay Famine (1899)
Explanation: Despite earlier famine commissions, relief during the Bombay famine remained inefficient.
10. Assertion (A): Famines were considered natural population checks by British administrators.
Reason (R): The Malthusian theory influenced British colonial policy.
A) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A
B) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A
C) A is true, R is false
D) A is false, R is true
Answer: A) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A
Explanation: British officials believed in Malthusian ideas, seeing famines as inevitable. 11. Which of the following were results of colonial famine policy?
1. Rise in agricultural productivity
2. Decline of rural crafts
3. Increase in food security
4. Shift to cash crop cultivation
Select the correct answer using the code below:
A) 1 and 3 only
B) 2 and 4 only
C) 1, 2 and 4 only
D) 2, 3 and 4 only
Answer: B) 2 and 4 only
Explanation: British policies led to deindustrialization and cash crops, not improved agriculture or food security.
12. Which of these thinkers wrote extensively on the economic impact of British rule and famine?
A) Bipin Chandra Pal
B) R.C. Dutt
C) Raja Ram Mohan Roy
D) Gopal Hari Deshmukh
Answer: B) R.C. Dutt
Explanation: R.C. Dutt criticized British economic policy and linked it to repeated famines. 13. The principle behind British refusal to import food during famine was:
A) Avoidance of inflation
B) Maintaining political stability
C) Preventing distortion of market forces
D) High cost of transportation
Answer: C) Preventing distortion of market forces
Explanation: True to laissez-faire economics, the British avoided intervention in grain markets. 14. What was the main focus of relief codes introduced post-1880?
A) Food distribution
B) Community participation
C) Cost-effectiveness
D) Agricultural investment
Answer: C) Cost-effectiveness
Explanation: Relief codes emphasized minimizing costs over maximizing effectiveness or coverage. 15. Statement I: Famines during British rule were purely natural disasters. Statement II: British policies such as grain export and lack of relief aggravated the situation.
A) Both statements are correct
B) Statement I is correct, II is incorrect
C) Statement I is incorrect, II is correct
D) Both statements are incorrect
Answer: C) Statement I is incorrect, II is correct
Explanation: Famines were man-made to a large extent due to poor policy choices.
