Structural Change | Class 12 Sociology Notes

Urbanisation and Industrialisation: The Colonial Experience

Industrialisation refers to the rise of machine-based production using inanimate power sources like steam and electricity. In traditional societies, most people worked in agriculture, but industrial societies have a majority employed in factories, offices, and shops, with over 90% living in urban areas. Urbanisation and industrialisation are closely linked but do not always occur simultaneously. Britain was the first to industrialise and urbanise rapidly; by 1900, 74% of its population lived in towns or cities. London grew from 1.1 million in 1800 to over 7 million by 1900, becoming a global manufacturing and financial center. In contrast, British industrialisation in India led to deindustrialisation in some sectors and decline of old urban centers like Surat and Masulipatnam, while cities like Bombay and Madras grew. The decline of indigenous court centers like Thanjavur and Dhaka caused artisan and gentry displacement. The introduction of mechanised factory industries in the late 19th century increased urban populations in some towns. Unlike Britain, industrialisation in India initially pushed more people into agriculture rather than urban jobs. Census data from 1911 shows many village artisans abandoned crafts for agriculture due to cheap European imports and high agricultural prices. Colonial cities like Mumbai, Kolkata, and Chennai were coastal hubs for exporting raw materials and importing manufactured goods, linking India to the British imperial economy. These cities were planned with European-style amenities and segregated spaces for Europeans and natives, reflecting colonial social hierarchies. The chapter highlights the distinct pattern of colonial industrialisation and urbanisation shaped by British interests rather than indigenous development.

📊 Diagram: See figure_8: Jaipur; See figure_9: Chennai; See figure_10: Mumbai

🔗 Connection: This section connects to the detailed case study of the tea plantations and labor conditions under colonial industrialisation.