Reasons behind Decline in Handicrafts

1. Discriminatory Tariff Policy

When Britishers were ruling in India, Britain was experiencing an industrial revolution for which they needed raw materials to expand their industry and market their finished goods. They thought of India as the perfect source of raw materials and a perfect place to sell their industrial products. For the fulfillment of these two thoughts, the British rulers implemented a discriminatory tariff policy in India. The policy allowed tariff-free import of British industrial products in India and tariff-free export of raw materials from India. Besides. to reduce the growth of the handicraft industry, the Britishers imposed a heavy duty on the export of handicrafts manufactured in India. These policies resulted in a huge growth or penetration in British products and a huge decline in the market of handicraft products not just in the domestic market, but also in the foreign market. 

2. Disappearance of Princely Courts

Before British rule, India was ruled by princes, nawabs, rajas and emperors. In order to gain a good reputation in the international market, these rulers used to encourage and patronize handicrafts. However, during British rule, the rulers started to end the princely courts and discourages the production of handicrafts in Indian market, which resulted in the decay of the handicraft industry in India. 

3. Competition from Machine- made Products

British Industries used to provide low-cost machine-made products in the market, which gave stiff competition to the handicrafts industry of India. Besides, the quality and precision of the machine-made products were far better than the handicraft products manufactured in India. The stiff competition faced by Indian Industry and its craftsmen forced them to shut down their business permanently. 

4. New Patterns of Demand

At the time of British rule, the impact of their culture was high, which resulted in the emergence of a new class in India. This class was keen to adopt the British culture and western lifestyle. People’s desire to adopt a western lifestyle gave rise to a new pattern of demand in Indian market, as people started going against the Indian products and favouring British goods. This change in the demand for goods resulted in the decline of Indian Industry. 

5. Introduction of Railways in India

For their benefit and interest, the British Government introduced railways in India. The major aim behind the introduction of railways was the facilitation of transportation of British goods to the different parts of the country. The ease in the transportation of goods across the country resulted in the expansion of low-cost British goods’ market size in India. However, the market for high-cost Indian products started declining, which ultimately, resulted in the decaying of the handicraft industry. 

Prior to British rule, India was an independent economy, and its major source of income was agriculture. Besides, India was also recognized for its manufacturing industries, especially handicraft industries, metals and precious stonework, cotton textiles, silk textiles, etc. The manufacturing industries of these goods enjoyed a global market as Indian industries used to import excellent quality materials and high standards of craftsmanship to the other countries of the world.