The Silk Industry and Silk Trade in Malda : 1770 - 1833

Abstract

History proves that any region or any country cannot obtain economic success without any kind of industry. The industrial prosperity or misery depends on the nature of the State.From the corner of world history, we know very well that a large part of the population was always attached with different big industrial sectors, but importance of the small scale industry could not be ignored. In this respect, I have studied the significance of silk industry and trade of Malda as micro level study, which is fully connected with this macro level research. The present study mainly focuses on the nature of silk industry and silk trade of Malda under the colonial rule. The region of Malda was very famous for her mostly outstanding silk piece goods. All members of the family were involved in the silk culture both as part time and full time workers, because its nature was purely home based. So, economy of the Malda mainly depended on the silk industry and trade. Here, I have given special attention on remarkable participation of women in the silk industryThis research takes up various segments to observe the economic life of people, mainly engaged with the silk industry. This study starts by the year 1770 and ends with the year 1833. This time frame was known as history of dominance on sericulture of Malda. In 1770, Commercial Residency House was established and, Filature Factory at English Bazar started functioning in the Sericulture sector.Through this system, the English East

India Company wants to capture the entire silk related economy of Malda. The Company’s commercial activity was closed from silk trade by the Charter Act of 1833.Through the different Chapters of this research, I have tried to understand the colonial economic motives as well as the oppression on silk workers of Malda. Up to pre-Plassey period, demand of Malda’s silk goods both in the internal and external market was higher than other silk producing centres, but, since Plassey, silk piece goods of Malda lost both markets and those markets were filled by the British manufacturing goods. This present study ‘THE SILK INDUSTRY AND SILK TRADE IN MALDA: 1770 – 1833’ based on the different Primary and Secondary sources. In this research, I have tried to compare pre-colonial glorious prospects with conditions of ruination during the colonial period.The condition of silk manufacturers slipped into commercial decline during the colonial hegemony. The highly prestigious silk industry declined through the systematic application of colonial policy. Under the colonial circumstances, different sections of silk workers not only lost the economic prosperity, but also lost their industry based artistic ability and social respect. They lost their work, and sustained livelihood under poor economic condition. The colonial power destructed silk related rural economic structure. As a result, native silk cultivators, and native small traders were treated as a very negligible section in their own country. In this research, I have tried to observe about the changing fortunes of the silk industry and silk trade of Malda during the period under review.