What was the impact of the …

The First World War created a new economic and political situation. • It led to a huge increase in defence expenditure which was financed by war loans and increasing taxes • customs duties were raised and income tax introduced. • Through the war years prices increased - doubling between 1913 and 1918 - leading to extreme hardship for the common people. • Villages were called upon to supply soldiers, and the forced recruitment in rural areas caused widespread anger. • Then in 1918-19 and 1920-21, crops failed in many parts of India, resulting in acute shortages of food. • This was accompanied by an influenza epidemic. • According to the census of 1921, 12 to 13 million people perished as a result of famines and the epidemic. • People hoped that their hardships would end after the war was over. But that did not happen.

The First World War created a new economic and political situation.
• It led to a huge increase in defence expenditure which was financed by war loans and increasing taxes
• customs duties were raised and income tax introduced.
• Through the war years prices increased - doubling between 1913 and 1918 - leading to extreme hardship for the common people.
• Villages were called upon to supply soldiers, and the forced recruitment in rural areas caused widespread anger.
• Then in 1918-19 and 1920-21, crops failed in many parts of India, resulting in acute shortages of food.
• This was accompanied by an influenza epidemic.
• According to the census of 1921, 12 to 13 million people perished as a result of famines and the epidemic.
• People hoped that their hardships would end after the war was over. But that did not happen.