The Indian Capitalist Class: A Historical Study

The principal aim of this book is throw light on the basic laws governing the origin and the development of capitalist enterprise in the national industry of India. The author had neither the intention, nor the means, to paint a complete picture covering all aspects of industrial development in India during modern times. The reader will, undoubtedly, notice the lack of statistical data regarding a number of important phenomena, as also the fact that a purely economic analysis has not been attempted in these cases. The Indian bourgeoisie was composed of numerous national groups, communities and castes whose uneven development was due to a variety of factors including the different stages reached by the social and economic forces in the various Indian feudal states at the time they were conquered by the colonial invaders, the uneven development of capitalist relations in individual provinces of colonial India, the diverse conditions of collaboration and the various kinds of contradictions existing between the Indian propertied classes and the colonial government in separate parts of the country. This book is not only an historical analysis of the Indian capitalist class by a Marxist author, but also is a rare book of its kind. The Indian capitalists on a community, caste, or nationality basis have been divided and studied analytically. Further, the region-wise development of capitalist class and their role in the regional and national economy has been also discussed.