Q. The most effective contribution made by Dadabhai Naoroji to the cause of the Indian National Movement was that he
(a) brought the problems of the Indians to the notice of the British.
(b) exposed the economic exploitation of India by the British.
(c) interpreted the ancient Indian texts and restored the self-confidence of the Indians.
(d) stressed the need for eradication of all the social evils before anything else.
Ans: (b) exposed the economic exploitation of India by the British.
Explanation: The most effective contribution made by Dadabhai Naoroji to the cause of the Indian National Movement was that he (b) exposed the economic exploitation of India by the British.
Dadabhai Naoroji, often referred to as the “Grand Old Man of India,” played a crucial role in highlighting and exposing the economic exploitation of India by the British colonial rule. He put forth the theory of “economic drain” or “drain of wealth,” which argued that the British policies were draining the economic resources of India and impeding its progress.
Naoroji’s influential work, such as his book “Poverty and Un-British Rule in India,” helped create awareness among Indians and British policymakers about the economic exploitation and its detrimental effects on India’s development. His analysis of India’s economic condition and advocacy for self-governance and economic self-sufficiency laid the foundation for the economic critique of British imperialism.
Therefore, the correct answer is (b) exposed the economic exploitation of India by the British.
