Explain any five major problems posed by the First World War in India.

The First World War created a new economic and political situation in India. The problems posed were:

(i) It led to a huge increase in defence expenditure which was financed by war loans and increasing taxes.

(ii) Customs duties were raised and income tax was introduced.

(iii) Villages were called upon to supply soldiers and forced recruitment was carried out in rural areas which caused widespread anger.

(iv) Through the war years prices increased-doubling between 1913 and 1918- leading to extreme hardship for the common people.

(v)Then in 1918-19 and 1920-21, crops failed in many parts of the country, resulting in acute shortage of food which was also accompanied by an influenza epidemic.

People of India had hoped that their hardships would end after the war was over. But that did not happen.