On earning the power, the British East India Company asserted a monopoly right to trade. It developed a system that would eliminate competition, control cost and ensure regular supply of cotton and silk goods. These measures ultimately led to the ruining of Indian weavers.
The measures adopted were as follows :
(i)The company tied to eliminate the existing traders and brokers, connected with cloth trade and establish a direct control over the weavers. It appointed a paid servant called Gomastha to supervise the weavers, collect supplies and examine the quality of cloth.
(ii) The company weavers were prevented from selling to other buyers. The weavers were tied to the company by a system of advance. Loans were given to the weavers for production and they had to hand over the finished products to the Gomasthas.
(iii) The price that the weavers received was low, but they were left with no choice but to sell their goods to the British because the loans tied them to the British.
This was a situation of helplessness and desperation that made them to revolt against the British. They quit their profession and migrated to other places.
