With reference to the growth of national consciousness in India explain the relevance of each of the following:

(a) Growth of Press in the nineteenth century.

(b) India's economic exploitation by the British rulers.

(a) Growth of Press in the nineteenth century:

The Press and the literature played a big role in carrying nationalist ideas to the people.

1. Raja Ram Mohan Roy was the founder of the nationalist journals in India. There had been a strict censorship on the publication of papers and journals. He waged legal battle against press regulations.
2. Dadabhai Naoroji edited 'Rast Goftar' in Gujarati.
3. Raja Rammohan Roy's 'Samvad Kaumudi' in Bengali, Dadabhai's paper 'Rast Goftar' in Gujarati and Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar's journal 'Shome Prakash' in Bengali had a distinct nationalist character.
4. English dailies, such as 'The Times of India' founded in 1861, the 'Pioneer' in 1865 and the 'Statesman' in 1875 supported the policies of the government, yet they kept people informed of rapid political developments in the country.
5. The Amrit Bazar Patrika started as the Anglo Bengali weekly in 1867. Later it was converted into an English daily. The 'Tribune' was started in Lahore in 1877 and the 'Hindu' started in Madras in 1878.
6. Great was the influence of these papers in fostering patriotism and ideas of liberty and justice in the country.
7. Through his writings in the 'Kesari' and the 'Mahratta' Bal Gangadhar Tilak spread the gospel of freedom and natural rights. The people were asked to unite and work for national welfare.

(b) India's economic exploitation by the British rulers:

The British conquest has a ruinous impact on Indian economy.

1. The Peasant's Suffering — The Indian peasants had to sell their produce at cheap prices in order to satisfy the greed of the moneylenders, the Zamindars and the government officials.
2. Destruction of Handicrafts — Heavy duties were imposed on goods exported into England from India. Further, British goods were forced upon India, since we were at the mercy of our foreign masters. The policy of Free Trade was responsible for the destruction of our crafts and trades.
3. Dissatisfied Educated Indians — The educated young men in India were becoming increasingly dissatisfied with the government because the better paid jobs were kept out of their reach. Surendranath Bannerjea, an ICS official, was dismissed from the service on superficial grounds.
4. Poverty, unemployment and workers exploitation — The progress of industries in India was very slow. But in 1880, there were nearly 60 mills or factories in India. With the evolution of the new pattern of economy, poverty and unemployment also increased. The workers, as usual, were exploited by the mill owners, mostly Englishmen.
5. Government ignored people's welfare — Burden of taxes was constantly on the increase, but the government did very little to promote the welfare of the people. Huge expenditure was incurred on army and the police force to sustain Britain's imperial interests. Insufficient attention was being paid to raising the living standards of the people.