Indigo cultivation in India declined by the beginning of the 20th century because of
A
peasant resistance to the oppressive conduct of planters
B
its unprofitability in the world market because of new inventions
Correct Answer
C
national leaders' opposition to the cultivation of indigo
D
Government control over the planters
Explanation
Indigo cultivation declined primarily because the invention of synthetic dyes in Germany made natural indigo economically unviable and unprofitable in the global market. While peasant resistance (Option A) was a major factor during the 19th-century Indigo Revolt, it was the technological advancement of chemical dyes that caused the industry's final collapse in the early 20th century. This question tests the core concept of how global industrial innovations and market shifts impacted colonial agricultural economies.
Economic Impact of British RuleCommercialization of AgricultureIndigo cultivation20th centuryunprofitabilitynew inventionssynthetic dyes