SURVEY OF BRITISH POLICIES IN INDIA

Question 1

The India Factory Act, 1881 provisions?

Answer 1

• The Indian Factory Act 1881 dealt primarily with the problem of child labour (between 7 and 12 years of age).
  1. Its significant provisions were: employment of children under 7 years of age prohibited.
  2. Working hours restricted to 9 hours per day for children.
  3. Children to get four holidays in a month.
  4. Hazardous machinery to be properly fenced off.

Question 2

The Indian Factory Act, 1891?

Answer 2

1. The Indian Factory Act, 1891 increased the minimum age (from 7 to 9 years) and the maximum (from 12 to 14 years) for children.
2. Reduced maximum working hours for children to 7 hours a day.
3. Fixed maximum working hours for women at 11 hours per day with a one and a half hour interval (working hours for men were left unregulated).
4. Provided weekly holiday for all.
   But these laws did not apply to British-owned tea and coffee plantations where the labour was exploited ruthlessly and treated like slaves.

Question 3

1. After the revolt of 1857, the policy of annexation was abandoned.
   The new policy was to dispose or punish but not annex. Also, territorial integrity of states was guaranteed and it was announced that their right to adopt an heir would be respected.
2. The Queen adopted the title of Kaiser-i-Hind (Queen Emperor of India) in 1876, to emphasise British sovereignty over entire India.
   True/false?

Answer 3

1. True
2. True.

Question 4

Ironically, the first ever demand for regulation of the condition of workers in factories in India came from?

Answer 4

The Lancashire textile capitalist lobby.