Nottingham Centre for Research on
Globalisation and Economic Policy (GEP)

GEP 2020/13: Trade disruption, industrialisation, and the setting sun of British colonial rule in India

Abstract

Colonial trade encouraged colonies specialization in primary products. Did this prevent industrialisation in colonies? And did the absence of industrialisation help to keep colonies under control? To answer these questions, we examine the impact of the temporary trade collapse between Britain and India due to World War I, on industrialisation and anti-imperial feelings in India. Exploiting cross-district variation in exposure to the trade shock, we find that districts more exposed to the trade shock experienced substantially faster industrial growth in 1911-21, placing them on a higher level of industrialisation which persisted up to today. Using the WWI trade shock as an instrument for industrialisation levels, we also find that more industrialised districts were more likely to express anti-imperial feelings in 1922, and to vote for the Indian National Congress in the landmark election of 1937.


 Download the paper in PDF format

Authors

Roberto Bonfatti and Björn Brey 

 

View all GEP discussion papers | View all School of Economics featured discussion papers

 

Posted on Friday 13th November 2020

Nottingham Centre for Research on Globalisation and Economic Policy

Sir Clive Granger Building
University of Nottingham
University Park
Nottingham, NG7 2RD

Enquiries: hilary.hughes@nottingham.ac.uk