Prof Tirthankar Roy SAR 6.16

This course is available on the BSc in Economic History, BSc in Economic History with Economics and BSc in Economics and Economic History. This course is not available as an outside option nor to General Course students.

South Asia is one of the fastest growing economies of the world. The region is also home to nearly one-third of the world's poorest people. How did this paradoxical mix between the creation of wealth and persistence of poverty come into being? Does economic history suggest an answer? The course introduces the stylized facts and major debates in the economic history of modern South Asia. It considers the legacies of empires and developmental states, globalizations of the past and the present times, and the role of indigenous institutions and resource endowments. The course begins with a discussion of empires and markets before European colonial rule began, with special reference to maritime trade and craft production, in which the European East India companies were interested in. For the colonial period, the major theme is the transformation engendered by colonialism and international economic integration. In the sixty years since the end of colonial rule, developmental states tried to overcome the obstacles to growth as the economists interpreted them. The course considers how successful they were in meeting the aim, and why they were limitedly successful.

This course is delivered through a combination of classes and lectures totalling a minimum of 40 hours across Michaelmas Term and Lent Term.

This year, while we are planning for most classes and seminars to be delivered in-person, it is possible that some or all of this teaching may have to be delivered virtually.  Lectures will either be recorded or given in the form of live webinars.

This course includes a reading week in Week 6 of Michaelmas and Lent Term.

Students are expected to write three essays or equivalent pieces of written work.

1. Dietmar Rothermund, An Economic History of India (1993)

2. B.R. Tomlinson, The Economy of Modern India (2013)

3. Tirthankar Roy, The Economic History of India 1757-2010 (2020)

4. G. Balachandran, ed., India and the World Economy 1850-1950 (2003)

5. Latika Chaudhary and others, eds., A New Economic History of Colonial India (2016)

6. P.J. Marshall, ed., The Eighteenth Century in Indian History (2004)

Online take-home exam (2 weeks, ST) 90%
Class participation (10%) in the MT and LT.

While we hope to be in a position to offer in-person assessment, it remains possible that examination for this module will be online.

Some departments have produced short videos to introduce their courses. Please refer to the course selection videos index page for further information.