NCERT · Class 10 · Social Science · History: The Age of IndustrialisationExplain the impact of the appointment of Gomasthas on the Indian weavers. Why did it lead to clashes in the weaving villages?

Impact of Gomasthas on Indian Weavers

\nThe East India Company appointed paid servants called Gomasthas to supervise weavers, collect supplies, and examine the quality of cloth. This system significantly altered the lives of Indian weavers in the following ways:

• Elimination of Middlemen: Before the Gomasthas, weavers often dealt with local merchants who had a long-standing relationship with them. The Gomasthas were outsiders with no social link to the village, acting strictly as agents of the Company.
• The System of Advances: To ensure a steady supply, the Company offered loans to weavers to purchase raw materials. Once an order was placed and a loan accepted, weavers had to hand over the cloth they produced to the Gomastha. They could not sell it to any other buyer.
• Loss of Bargaining Power: Since the weavers were tied to the Company through loans, they lost the ability to bargain for better prices. The prices they received from the Company were miserably low, yet they were forced to accept them due to their indebtedness.
• Shift from Agriculture to Weaving: Many weavers had small plots of land which they cultivated along with weaving. To meet the heavy demand of the Company, they had to lease out their land and devote all their time to weaving, involving the entire family including children.

Reasons for Clashes in Villages

• Arrogance of Gomasthas: Unlike the old supply merchants who lived in the village and looked after the weavers' needs during crises, Gomasthas were outsiders. They marched into villages with sepoys and peons.
• Physical Punishment: If there was a delay in supply, Gomasthas often beat and flogged the weavers. This created an atmosphere of terror and resentment.
• Economic Distress: The combination of low prices and the inability to take orders from other merchants led to severe poverty. In many places, weavers deserted villages, migrated to other districts, or revolted against the Company and its agents.