This volume in the People's History of India series gives a general
account of Indian economy in the first century of British rule
(1757-1857). It describes the changes in Indian economy brought about by
the pressure for tribute, the British land settlements, and the triumph
of free trade. In order to set these changes in a proper perspective, it
begins by furnishing a survey of pre-colonial economic conditions. A
notable feature of the book is its reference to how aspects of Indian
economy were seen and interpreted by contemporary observers. This is
accomplished partly by a rich collection of extracts from the sources.
There are also special notes on current interpretations of
eighteenth-century history, the nature of tribute or drain of wealth
from India to England, and the scope and problems of historical
demography.