Villages, before the British empire in India, were self dependent. People used to do agriculture whose main aim was to fulfil the needs of the village. Crops were not being sold. Other workers of village like blacksmith, carpenter, barber, etc. collectively fulfilled the needs of the village. But the self-dependency of the villages come to an end after the establishment of the British empire in India.

According to the new land revenue system, farmers had to pay the fixed amount to the government as land revenue and at a particular time as well. Now the main aim of agriculture was just to earn money. It is known as the commercialization of agriculture. This process of commercialization of agriculture became more complex with the advent of the Industrial Revolution in England- Now farmers were forced to produce those crops which could be used as the raw material in factories of England.

Impact of Commercialization

Merits:

• Production of different types of crops was increased.
• Means of transport were developed to take crops to markets of cities.
• Things became very cheap due to more production.
• Farmers came in contact with urban areas because of which their point of view was changed. As a result, national consciousness aroused among them.

Demerits:

1. Indian farmers used to do agriculture with ancient methods. That’s why their crops were unable to compete with those crops which were grown with the help of machines. That’s why farmers were unable to take maximum advantage out of it.
2. Farmers had to sell their crops in the market through middlemen and middlemen took their share as well. It led to less profit for farmers.