08. A Shirt in the Market Class 7 Civics Chapter 8 Notes for CBSE and UPSC
Welcome to A Shirt in the Market Class 7 Civics Chapter 8 Notes for CBSE and UPSC.
Chapter 8: A Shirt in the Market
Introduction
This chapter delves into the journey of a simple shirt, from its origin in cotton production to its presence in a supermarket. We’ll explore the various stages and markets involved in this process and examine whether everyone benefits equally from these transactions.
The Cotton Farmer: Swapna
Swapna’s Cotton Farming
Swapna, a small farmer in Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh, cultivates cotton on her modest piece of land. The cotton plants produce bolls that carry the cotton, which don’t burst open all at once, making harvesting a time-consuming process.
Loan Agreement with the Local Trader
Instead of selling her cotton at the Kurnool cotton market, Swapna and her husband take their harvest to a local trader. At the start of the cropping season, Swapna borrowed ₹2,500 from the trader at a high interest rate to buy seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides. In return, she agreed to sell all her cotton to him.
Challenges of Cotton Cultivation
Cotton cultivation requires significant inputs like fertilizers and pesticides, leading small farmers like Swapna to borrow money to meet these expenses. At the trader’s yard, her cotton is weighed, fetching ₹6,000 at ₹1,500 per quintal. However, after deducting ₹3,000 for loan repayment and interest, Swapna receives only ₹3,000.
The Cotton’s Journey: Market Chain
- Trader Sells Cotton at Kurnool cotton market
- The local trader sells the cotton at the Kurnool cotton market.
- Ginning Mill Removes Seeds and Presses Cotton into Bales
- The cotton is then taken to a ginning mill, where the seeds are removed, and the cotton is compressed into bales.
- Spinning Mill Buys the Bales
- These cotton bales are purchased by a spinning mill.
- Spinning Mill Spins Cotton into Yarn
- The spinning mill processes the cotton into yarn.
- Spinning Mill Sells Yarn to Yarn Dealers
- Yarn dealers purchase the yarn from the spinning mill.
Weaver’s Perspective: The Putting-Out System
The Merchant-Weaver Relationship
In the putting-out system, merchants distribute work and raw materials to weavers, who produce cloth at their homes. The weavers then return the finished cloth to the merchant.
Weaver’s Earnings
Weavers often work long hours on power looms, producing cloth, but their earnings are meager, barely enough to cover their basic needs. They lack control over prices and depend on merchants for resources and markets.
Weaver’s Cooperatives: Empowerment
Role of Weaver’s Cooperatives
Weaver’s cooperatives empower weavers by allowing them to collectively procure resources such as raw materials and share marketing responsibilities. This collective strength enhances their bargaining power and reduces dependency on middlemen.
Government Support
At times, the government supports these cooperatives by purchasing cloth from them at fair prices, further aiding the weavers’ income. For instance, the Tamil Nadu government procures cloth from powerloom weaver’s cooperatives.
The Garment Export Industry
Impact of Foreign Buyers
The garment export industry faces demands from foreign buyers for low prices, high-quality products, and timely delivery. To meet these demands, garment exporting factories often cut costs by paying low wages and maximizing worker efficiency.
Worker’s Conditions
Garment exporting factories employ workers, primarily women, who often work on a temporary basis. They earn wages based on their skills, with tailors receiving higher pay. However, jobs like thread cutting, buttoning, ironing, and packaging have lower wages.
Keywords
Important definitions from A Shirt in the Market Class 7 Civics Chapter 8 Notes for CBSE and UPSC.
- Cotton Farming: The process of cultivating cotton plants and harvesting cotton bolls.
- Putting-Out System: A system in which merchants distribute work and raw materials to home-based workers for production.
- Weaver’s Cooperatives: Groups of weavers who collaborate to procure resources and market their products collectively.
- Garment Export Industry: An industry focused on producing and exporting clothing to international markets.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Important Questions related to A Shirt in the Market Class 7 Civics Chapter 8 Notes for CBSE and UPSC.
FAQ 1: What led Swapna to sell her cotton to the local trader instead of the market?
Answer: Swapna sold her cotton to the local trader due to a loan agreement she had with him, wherein she had borrowed money for farming inputs, and in return, she agreed to sell all her cotton exclusively to him.
FAQ 2: What challenges do small cotton farmers like Swapna face in cultivation?
Answer: Small cotton farmers often face challenges related to high input costs, such as fertilizers and pesticides, which necessitate borrowing money. They are also vulnerable to price fluctuations in the market.
FAQ 3: How does the cotton move through the various stages of the market chain?
Answer: The cotton moves from the local trader to the Kurnool cotton market, then to the ginning mill, followed by the spinning mill, and finally to yarn dealers before further processing.
FAQ 4: What is the role of the ginning mill in the cotton market chain?
Answer: The ginning mill plays a crucial role in the cotton market chain by removing seeds from cotton bolls and compressing the cotton into bales, making it suitable for further processing.
FAQ 5: Why is the spinning mill essential in the textile industry?
Answer: The spinning mill processes raw cotton into yarn, a fundamental material in the textile industry, enabling the production of various textile products.
FAQ 6: What is the putting-out system, and how does it function?
Answer: The putting-out system involves merchants distributing work and raw materials to weavers, who produce cloth at their homes and return it to the merchant for marketing. It is prevalent in the weaving industry.
FAQ 7: Why are weavers in the putting-out system often paid low wages?
Answer: Weavers in the putting-out system are paid low wages because they lack bargaining power, depend on merchants for resources and markets, and face limited control over the selling price of their products.
FAQ 8: How do weaver’s cooperatives empower weavers?
Answer: Weaver’s cooperatives empower weavers by enabling them to collectively procure resources, share marketing responsibilities, and enhance their bargaining power in the market.
FAQ 9: What challenges do weavers face in the putting-out system?
Answer: Weavers in the putting-out system face challenges such as low wages, dependence on merchants for raw materials, and limited control over the selling price of their products. They are often in a vulnerable position due to this dependence.
FAQ 10: How can market inequalities be addressed in the context of cotton farming and textile industries?
Answer: Market inequalities can be addressed through policies that empower small farmers, weavers, and workers, such as providing access to fair credit, promoting cooperatives, and enforcing regulations to ensure fair wages and working conditions.
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
MCQ 1: What is the primary reason Swapna sold her cotton to the local trader?
- A. To get a higher price for her cotton at the local trader’s yard.
- B. She had a loan agreement with the local trader.
- C. To avoid the Kurnool cotton market.
- D. She wanted to support local businesses.
Answer: B. She had a loan agreement with the local trader.
MCQ 2: What role does the ginning mill play in the cotton market chain?
- A. Selling cotton to yarn dealers.
- B. Compressing cotton into bales.
- C. Cultivating cotton plants.
- D. Distributing cotton to weavers.
Answer: B. Compressing cotton into bales.
MCQ 3: Why do weavers in the putting-out system often receive low wages?
- A. They have strong bargaining power.
- B. They control the selling price of their products.
- C. They depend on merchants for resources and markets.
- D. They work fewer hours.
Answer: C. They depend on merchants for resources and markets.
MCQ 4: How do weaver’s cooperatives empower weavers?
- A. By reducing their bargaining power.
- B. By limiting their access to resources.
- C. By collectively procuring resources and sharing marketing responsibilities.
- D. By isolating them from the market.
Answer: C. By collectively procuring resources and sharing marketing responsibilities.
MCQ 5: What is the primary demand of foreign buyers in the garment export industry?
- A. High wages for workers.
- B. Low prices, high-quality products, and timely delivery.
- C. Strict government regulations.
- D. Long production times.
Answer: B. Low prices, high-quality products, and timely delivery.
Conclusion
In this chapter, we’ve explored the intricate journey of a simple shirt, from Swapna’s cotton farming to the weaving and garment export industry. We’ve seen the challenges faced by small farmers, weavers, and garment workers in this complex market chain. It’s crucial to address these challenges to ensure a fair and equitable market for all participants.
This was the end of A Shirt in the Market Class 7 Civics Chapter 8 Notes for CBSE and UPSC.
For more information, refer to NCERT SOLUTIONS, NCERT NOTES, and NCERT BOOKS .
