Social Science (087) — AI-generated practice question

Manchester manufacturers were outsiders trying to overcome Indian buyers' distrust of foreign goods. By printing images of Indian gods (Krishna, Saraswati, Lakshmi) and respected rulers like Maharaja Ranjit Singh on labels, they made their foreign cloth appear familiar and trustworthy, as if divinely approved.

Indian mill-owners faced the opposite challenge: convincing buyers to prefer Indian-made goods over established foreign brands. They used swadeshi nationalist imagery to appeal to patriotic sentiment — "if you care for the nation, buy Indian products."

Thus, Manchester used cultural familiarity to reduce foreignness, while Indian manufacturers used nationalist identity to build loyalty.

Source: Print Culture and The Making of the Consumer Market, Chapter 4

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• Examiners look for contrast between the two strategies and the underlying reason for each — don't just describe what they did, explain why.
• Key terms to use: "divine approval," "familiar," "swadeshi," "nationalist message" — these come directly from the textbook.
• Avoid writing too much; at 3 marks, two focused points with a conclusion is enough.
• The core logic: Manchester = cultural bridge to reduce alienation; Indian mills = nationalism to build preference. State this clearly.