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The collapse of cotton trade in Bombay in the late 1860s along with the terrible famine of 1866 that devastated Orissa (now Odisha) deeply pained India’s first economist Dadabhai Naoroji. As a result, for the first time, he demanded Swaraj (independence) for our country in the Calcutta session of Indian National Congress in 1906. Dadabhai traced the collapse of cotton trade to massive influx of cotton to India from the US following the end of American civil war in 1864 and he could understand that the British policies resulted in adversely affecting India when American cotton was allowed to enter Indian market without any check. All these facts have been detailed in the biography of Dadabhai titled “Naoroji: Pioneer of Indian Nationalism” authored by Dinyar Patel.

The book “Poverty and Un-British Rule” authored by Dadabhai traced the drain of wealth of India to the policies of colonial rulers who, among others, made India a victim of unfair trade policies which put our country at a highly disadvantaged position vis-à-vis capitalist countries of that era.

On the occasion of the 200th birth anniversary year of Dadabhai Naoroji, it is salutary to recall his idea of Swaraj to save India from the unfair trade practices of the colonial era.

Piyush Goyal’s announcement on cotton imports

Dadabhai’s deep analysis of the fall in cotton trade in Bombay during late 1860s assumes enormous relevance........

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