History Quote by Shashi Tharoor
““the British economic historian Angus Maddison has demonstrated, India’s share of the world economy was 23 per cent, as large as all of Europe put together. (It had been 27 per cent in 1700, when the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb’s treasury raked in £100 million in tax revenues alone.) By the time the British departed India, it had dropped to just over 3 per cent.””
About This Quote
Source Speech: Economic History of India, Shashi Tharoor, 2016
India’s economic share fell dramatically from the 18th century to post‑colonial times.
In simple terms: India’s global economic role shrank over centuries.
Key Takeaway
Recognize historical economic shifts.
Themes
economics
colonialism
history
Mood
analytical
inquisitive
Type
historical
informative
When to use this quote
- policy making
- education
- business strategy
- public debate
Key Concepts
economic history
development studies
Questions to Reflect On
- What factors drove the decline?
- How can modern policy learn from this history?
A Different Perspective
Historical data may be contested or incomplete.
