The Factories Act of 1881 is often criticized for being more aligned with British economic interests than Indian labor welfare. Which of the following provisions supports this interpretation?
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: C
Explanation
Solution: The correct answer is It imposed restrictions only on children, without addressing the working conditions of adult laborers.
Explanation:
☛ The Indian Factories Act of 1881 was passed during the viceroyalty of Lord Ripon.
☛ The legislation was introduced largely due to pressure from the Lancashire textile lobby in Britain, which was concerned about the competitive advantage of Indian textile mills resulting from low labor costs and long working hours.
☛ The Act focused primarily on child labor and completely ignored the working conditions and hours of adult male and female workers.
☛ It prohibited the employment of children below 7 years of age and restricted the daily working hours of children aged between 7 and 12 years to 9 hours.
☛ It also mandated four monthly holidays for child laborers and the fencing of dangerous machinery, leaving the welfare of adult workers unaddressed.
Extra Exam-Relevant Facts:
☛ Lord Ripon (1880–1884): Known as the 'Father of Local Self-Government in India' and repealed the Vernacular Press Act in 1882.
☛ Factories Act of 1891: Passed during the tenure of Lord Lansdowne; it raised the minimum age for child employment from 7 to 9 years and fixed women's working hours to 11 hours per day with a 1.5-hour break.
☛ Bombay Mill-Hands Association: Formed in 1890 by Narayan Meghaji Lokhande, recognized as the first trade union-like labor organization in India.
☛ Factories Act of 1911: For the first time, regulated the working hours of adult male laborers in textile mills to 12 hours a day.
Important One-Liners for Upcoming Exams:
☛ Who was the Viceroy of India when the first Indian Factories Act of 1881 was enacted? → Lord Ripon
☛ Under the Factories Act of 1881, the employment of children below what age was completely prohibited? → 7 years
☛ Which British industrial lobby primarily demanded factory legislation in colonial India to prevent competition? → Lancashire textile manufacturers
☛ Who is widely regarded as the pioneer of the organized labor movement in India? → Narayan Meghaji Lokhande
☛ In which year was the second Indian Factory Act enacted under Lord Lansdowne? → 1891