The Age of Industrialisation | Class 10 Social Science Notes

Market for Goods

The chapter concludes by examining how new products were marketed to create consumers. Advertisements played a crucial role in making products desirable and necessary, shaping consumer culture.

When Manchester industrialists sold cloth in India, they used labels on cloth bundles to indicate the place of manufacture and company name, assuring buyers of quality. These labels often featured images of Indian gods and goddesses such as Kartika, Lakshmi, and Saraswati, giving a sense of divine approval and familiarity to foreign products.

Historic figures like Maharaja Ranjit Singh were also used on labels to evoke respect and trust. By the late 19th century, manufacturers printed calendars with advertisements, which were widely displayed even in illiterate households, ensuring repeated exposure to product promotions.

Indian manufacturers used advertisements to promote nationalist messages, encouraging people to buy Indian-made products as an act of patriotism during the Swadeshi movement.

These marketing strategies show how industrialisation was not only about production but also about creating markets and consumer identities.

📊 Diagram: Fig. 25 – Gripe Water calendar of 1928 by M.V. Dhurandhar; Fig. 26(a) – Manchester labels with Indian gods and historic figures; Fig. 27 – Sunlight soap calendar of 1934 showing God Vishnu; Fig. 28 – An Indian mill cloth label with a goddess.

🔗 Connection: This final section summarizes the chapter and encourages reflection on the complex realities of industrialisation beyond the glorified images.