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What were the social and economic conditions of india during first world war? |
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Answer» The war operations in Europe sucked huge quantities of basic commodities like wheat, rice, sugar, tea, coffee etc. The accelerated export of the items from India caused scarcity in the domestic market. Prices rose sharply bringing immense distress to the low and middle class consumers. The food prices plunged as high as 93%. Jute bag was among the non-food item that was in great demand in the war front. Huge numbers of jute bags had to be procured and rushed to the war front. Such procurement caused acute SHORTAGES of jute bags at home. A group of entrepreneurs who BAGGED war supply contracts, however, made windfall profits in a short time. Large numbers of able-bodied young men from the countryside were recruited into the British army. Such INDUCTION of Indians disrupted social LIFE in rural areas. Villages experienced shortage of farm hands, carpenters, BLACKSMITHS and other such artisans. Most importantly, as war-time expenditure sky-rocketed, the colonial government diverted a good part of its revenue receipts from India to the war budget. It looked around frantically for additional sources of revenue. As a part of this drive, it increased taxes and duties. All this resulted in diversion of funds from welfare schemes to war expenditure. Tax rates were increased bringing bigger tax load on the common people. The pain was felt across the country. |
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