Who of the following was/were economic critic/critics of colonialism in India?

1. Dadabhai Naoroji
2. G. Subramania Iyer
3. R. C. Dutt

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

1. 1 only
2. 1 and 2 only
3. 2 and 3 only
4. 1, 2 and 3

Explanation

All are correct

• In the 1870s and 1880s, the early nationalists developed an extensive economic critique of colonialism.
• This critique was their most important contribution to the development of the national movement.
• Some of the most prominent figures among them were Dadabhai Naoroji, M.G. Ranade, R.C. Dutt, Dinshaw Wacha, G.V. Joshi, G. Subramaniya Iyer, G.K. Gokhale, Prithwis Chandra Ray, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, and Surendranath Banerjee.
• They clearly understood that the essence of British imperialism was in subordinating the Indian economy to the British economy. They opposed the transformation of India into:
  • A supplier of raw materials
  • A market for the British manufacturers
  • A field for the investment of British capital.
• Books critical of the imperialist drain of India’s resources were:
  • William Digby’s Prosperous British India
  • G.S. Iyer’s Some Economic Aspects of British Rule in India
  • R.C. Dutt’s Economic History of India
  • Dadabhai Naoroji Poverty and un-British Rule in India (put forward the “drain theory” to explain the British exploitation of India)

Answer: (d) 1, 2 and 3; Difficulty Level: Easy