Sri Lanka Essay -- Sri Lanka History, Politics, Economy

Sri Lanka’s main industry during the pre-colonial period, which expands from 6th century BC to 1505 AD, was agriculture or wet Rice Paddy; however, a big change in the industries of Sri Lanka can be seen during the Colonial period, which span from 1505 to 1948 AD. The colonialists who occupied the nation before the British being the Portuguese and the Dutch began commercializing the Sri lanka in making profits from cinnamon and other spices locally available with a low overhead, yet formulate profit in Europe due to scarceness as well as the demand on the commodities (Publications, 2008, p. 129). According to J.W Bennett (1843): The local revenue is derived from the duties on cinnamon, salt, tobacco, fish farms, pearl and chank (Valuta gravis) fisheries, marriage and spirit licenses, judicial and commercial stamps, fines, land commutation tax, auction duties, post-office receipts, charges for boat hire and pilotage, anchorage dues, sales of gunpowder, horses from the government stud at Delft island, Ceylon Gazette, and Calendar, house and land rents, premiums upon sales of bills upon the Treasury, timber, Veddah tribute, and customs' duties upon exports and imports. (p. 45) Furthermore, with the East Indies Trading, company located in India other industries, which were carried locally for individual needs or for trading among each other as Spices, Pearl fishing, Areca nuts, Gems, Elephants and Coconuts were also commercialized (Nubin, 2002, p. 176). Nonetheless, the big boom in commercialized productions mainly commercial agriculture was first introduced to Sri Lanka during the British occupation period between the years 1796 to 1948 AD. Horatio Suckling (1876): With few exceptions, such as plumbago, the same kind of pr... ...ame the primary agricultural commercial products until the end of British era, which came with Sri Lanka’s independence in 1948. The British colonist during their colonial rule introducing their primary cash crops in their colonies as India and Kenya, and which shared many a similar commercial products as Tea under the British. Consequently, with many British colonies like Sri Lanka obtaining independence during mid 1900’s nations producing the same commercial products were abundant. Hence, the post independence leaders of Sri Lanka were faced with finding new commercial products, which appealed to the international market in subsidizing the economic impact faced by low demand for Ceylon Tea, or Natural rubber and Coconuts. Therefore Sri Lanka began seeking and experimenting in opportunities in commodities and services, which were in more demand internationally.