Question

Who said that the ‘constant drain of wealth’ from India was responsible for India’s economic miseries?
A. BC Pal
B. BP Wadia
C. Dadabhai Naoroji
D. GS Arundale

Answer 1

Hint: He was known as India's "Grand Old Man." He was an Indian scholar, merchant, and politician who served in the United Kingdom House of Commons as a member of the Liberal Party. In his book 'Poverty and Un-British Rule in India,' he presented this idea.

Complete answer:
The drain theory states that India was forced to make unilateral transfers to Britain, which systematically depleted the country's wealth and thereby perpetuated poverty.
In his book Poverty and Un-British Rule in India, Dadabhai Naoroji discussed the idea of wealth drain from India during British rule. He estimated that the drain would cost about Rs 8 million. He pointed out that the drain is made up of European officials' remittances, their spending in England, pensions and wages paid in England, and so on.
- So, option A. is incorrect because BC pal did not give the constant drain of wealth theory.
- Option B. is incorrect because the statement ‘constant drain of wealth’ from India was responsible for India’s economic miseries was said by Dadabhai Naoroji.
- Option C. is the correct option. This was said by Dadabhai Naoroji in his book “Poverty and Un-British Rule in India”.
- Option D. is incorrect because GS Arundale did not make this statement.

The drain theory was given by Dadabhai Naoroji in his book ‘Poverty and Un-British Rule in India”. So, the correct option to this question is C. Dadabhai Naoroji.

Note: During the British rule in India, Naoroji's work centered on the flow of wealth from India to Britain. One of the reasons Naoroji is credited with the Drain theory is his decision to calculate India's net national benefit, and thus the impact of colonial rule on the region. Poverty and Un-British Rule in India were published by Naoroji in 1901.