HISTORY OF TECHNOLOGY, MANUFACTURING, AND THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION: AN ALTERNATE PERSPECTIVE ON SCHMENNER' S HYPOTHESES.

The article presents the author's views on the history of technology, manufacturing and the Industrial Revolution. Two simultaneous developments took place during the so-called Industrial Revolution: the industrialization of Britain and other countries in Europe and the deindustrialization of a number of non-European countries, including India. A major portion of the agriculture products collected through heavy taxation and slavery- like employment on indigo plantations was exported, and the bulk of the revenue was remitted to Britain, providing free capital for the Industrial Revolution. The opportunity costs to India for this transfer of resources were many times higher. And, human costs were beyond measure. The British continued to export large quantities of food from India during the periods of droughts, and thus converting them to severe famines. The export of cotton textiles from India to Britain was practically eliminated by a combination of ban and heavy duty. Because of the British military power, there was no reciprocal duty on import of British textiles to India, which reached 51 million yards in the year 1830 driving out many of the traditional domestic producers in the process.