Explain the following: (a) Women workers in Britain attacked the Spinning Jenny. (b) In the seventeenth century merchants from towns in Europe began employing peasants and artisans within the villages. (c) The port of Surat declined by the end of the eighteenth century. (d) The East India Company appointed gomasthas to supervise weavers in India.

(a) Women workers in Britain attacked the Spinning Jenny

because it speeded up the spinning process, and consequently,

reduced labour demand. This caused a valid fear of

unemployment among women working in the woollen industry.

Till date, they had survived on hand spinning, but this was

placed in peril by the new machine.

(b) The trade and commerce guild controlled the market, raw

materials, employees, and also production of goods in the

towns. This created problems for merchants who wanted to

increase production by employing more men. Therefore, they

turned to peasants and artisans who lived in villages.

(c) The port of Surat declined by the end of the eighteenth

century on account of the growing power of European

companies in trade with India. They secured many concessions

from local courts as well as the monopoly rights to trade. This

led to a decline of the old ports of Surat and Hoogly from where

local merchants had operated. Exports slowed and local banks

here went bankrupt.

(d) The English East India Company appointed Gomasthas for:

→ To eliminate the existence of traders and brokers and

establish a direct control over the weavers.

→ To eliminate weavers from dealing with other buyers by

means of advances and control. In this manner, weavers who

took loans and fees in advance were obligated to the British.