Routledge Empire, Industry and Class: Imperial Jute History 1840-1940

This scholarly work presents a groundbreaking social history of working classes across the imperial economy, tracing labour market formation and class development in Scotland and Bengal during the jute industry's expansion from 1840 to 1940. The book examines the daily experiences of jute workers within the imperial nexus whilst exploring the profound influence of the 'Dundee School' of Scottish mechanics, engineers and managers who operated the Calcutta jute mills. Through comparative regional analysis, it investigates labour supervision practices, workplace cultures and class formation across two distinct economies - one metropolitan and one colonial - revealing how imperial commerce shaped working-class identity and social structures. Published by Routledge as part of the Edinburgh South Asian Studies Series, this volume challenges conventional historical narratives by situating industrial labour within broader patterns of imperial economic integration and cultural exchange.