Question

Select any one industry in your region and find out its history. How has the technology changed? Where do the workers come from? How are the products advertised and marketed? Try and talk to the employers and some workers to get their views about the industry’s history.

Answer 1

Cotton textile in Vadodara, Gujarat

• Cotton textiles are among the oldest industries in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. It can be traced back to the Indus Civilization, when cotton fabrics from Lothal (port) were exported to other regions of Asia.
• Initially, the weavers followed ancient technology. The spinning wheel was its only machine. Ladies from the village used to spin cotton. During the British time, technology evolved, and various cotton textile mills were established throughout the country. Powerlooms were utilized instead of handlooms. The factories were open for twenty-four hours. Several different machines were employed. Machines with superior technologies were invented in England and in other countries.
• Cotton textile mill workers were traditionally drawn from rural Gujarat and Maharashtra. Some of them used to ride bicycles to work every day, and the majority of them lived near the workplace. Slums arose, causing a variety of challenges for city residents.
• Farmers, cotton ball pluckers, and workers involved in ginning, spinning, weaving, dying, designing, packaging, sewing, and tailoring all made a living from this sector. Local merchants and dealers, as well as mill representatives from the British East India Company, advertised the items. European tradesmen used to buy excellent cotton textiles from Ahmedabad and transport them to Surat.
• We talked with employers and cotton textile workers. Employers stated that they faced stiff competition from British cotton textiles prior to independence, but that after India's independence, they may enjoy some benefits. Globalization during the 1990s, however, has paved the way for “Wealth is Right” in the shape of multinational corporations (MNCs). Countries from Europe were also installed.