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NCERT Solutions for class 7 Civics chapter 8 – A Shirt in the Market

Back Exercise

1. What made Swapna sell the cotton to the trader instead of selling at the Kurnool cotton market?

Answer

Swapna sold the cotton to the trader instead of selling at the Kurnool cotton market because:
(i) At the beginning of the cropping season, Swapna had borrowed Rs 2,500 from the trader at a very high interest rate to buy seeds, fertilisers, pesticides for cultivation.
(ii) So, she promised to sell all her cotton to him.

2. Describe the conditions of employment as well as the wages of workers in the garment exporting factory. Do you think the workers get a fair deal?
Answer

Conditions of employment in the garment exporting factory:
(i) Workers are employed on a temporary basis means they can be asked to leave anytime when not needed.
(ii) They have pressure to produce quality products in limited time.
(iii) They have to do hardwork for long hours.
No, the workers don't get a fair deal as they are not even paid the minimal wages for their work. They are being exploited by their employer and their work is also temporary. They also don't have respect for the work the do.

3. Think of something common that we use. It could be sugar, tea, milk, pen, paper, pencil, etc. Discuss through what chain of markets this reaches you. Can you think of the people that help in the production or trade?

Answer

Chain of markets to produce Milk is first produced in
(i) Dairy cooperatives first purchase milk at different locations.
(ii) After that, milk is transported to the milk factories by the dairy cooperatives. (iii) Milk is pasteurised in the factories and are packed.
(iv) Packets are milk are then given to the traders which transport them to cities where wholesaler purchase these.
(v) Retailers purchase from the wholesalers then sell these packets of milk to the consumers in the open market in booths.

Note:- You can also use the example given in the question number 4.

4. Arrange the statements given alongside in the correct order and then fill in the numbers in the cotton bolls accordingly. The first two have already been done for you.
1. Swapna sells the cotton to the trader.
2. Customers buy these shirts in a supermarket.
3. Trader sells cotton to the Ginning Mill.
4. Garment exporters buy the cloth from merchants for making shirts.
5. Yarn dealers or merchants give the yarn to the weavers.
6. The exporter sells shirts to the businessperson from the USA.
7.Spinning mill buys the cotton and sells yarn to the yarn dealers.
8.Weavers return with the cloth.
9. Ginning mill cleans the cotton and makes it into bales.

 Answer

 1. Swapna sells the cotton to the trader.
3. Trader sells cotton to the Ginning Mill.
9. Ginning mill cleans the cotton and makes it into bales.
7.Spinning mill buys the cotton and sells yarn to the yarn dealers.
5. Yarn dealers or merchants give the yarn to the weavers.
8.Weavers return with the cloth.
4. Garment exporters buy the cloth from merchants for making shirts. 
6. The exporter sells shirts to the businessperson from the USA.
2. Customers buy these shirts in a supermarket. 

In-text Questions

Question 1.
Did Swapna get a fair price on the cotton? (NCERT Page 105)
Answer.
No.

Question 2.
Why did the trader pay Swapna a low price? (NCERT Page 105)
Answer.
The trader paid Swapna a low price because of the following reasons:

  1. Swapna had taken a loan from the trader.
  2. She had promised to sell her cotton to him.
  3. He misused his power and exploited her due to lack of bargaining power in her.

Question 3.
Where do you think large farmers would sell their cotton? How is their situation different from Swapna? (NCERT Page 105)
Answer.

  1. Large farmers would sell their cotton to the market at higher prices.
  2. Their situation is different from Swapna because
    • She is a small farmer.
    • She had promised to sell cotton to the trader as she had taken loan from him.
    • She had no bargaining power.

Question 4.
What are the following people doing at the Erode cloth market—merchants, weavers, exporters’! (NCERT Page 107)
Answer.

  1. Merchants: They are getting the woven cloth from the weavers after paying them wages for weaving cloth for them.
  2. Weavers: They are handing over the cloth to the merchants and getting their wages.
  3. Exporters: They are arranging the cloth for exports.

Question 5.
In what ways are weavers dependent on cloth merchants? (NCERT Page 107)
Answer.
Weavers are dependent on cloth merchants in the following ways:

  1. They weave clothes on their behalf.
  2. They get wages for weaving.
  3. They get thread from cloth merchants.

Question 6.
If the weavers were to buy yarn on their own and sell cloth, they would probably earn three times more. Do you think this is possible? How? Discuss. (NCERT Page 108)
Answer.
Yes, it is possible if the weavers take financial assistance from cooperatives. They can buy yam and sell cloth at higher price.

Question 7.
Do you find similar ‘putting-out’ arrangements in making papads, masalas, beedisl Find out about this in your area and discuss in class. (NCERT Page 108)
Answer.
Yes. Do this exercise yourself.

Question 8.
You might have heard of cooperatives in your area. It could be in milk, provisions, paddy etc. Find out for whose benefit they were set up? (NCERT Page 108)
Answer.
Hints:

  1. To provide financial assistance at a low-interest rate.
  2. To purchase products from producers on reasonable prices.
  3. To save them from middlemen and traders.
  4. To increase bargaining power of the producers.

Question 9.
What are the demands foreign buyers make on the garment exporters? Why do the garment exporters agree to these demands? (NCERT Page 109)
Answer.

  1. Low price of the garments.
  2. Fineness.
  3. High standards and quality of production.
  4. Promptness. The exporters agree to their demands as their job is to finish the work in time and earn money.

Question 10.
How do the garment exporters meet the conditions set by the foreign buyers? (NCERT Page 109)
Answer.

  1. The exporters meet the conditions set up by the foreign buyers through the following means:
  2. They employ workers at lowest labour cost especially women.
  3. They fix the targets daily for workers to complete or increase working hours.
  4. The standards fixed are closely watched and implemented.
  5. They get maximum work from workers.
  6. They also maximise their own profits.

Question 11.
Why do you think more women are employed in the Impex garment factory? Discuss. (NCERT Page 110)
Answer.
More women are employed in the Impex garment factory because they work hard and remain busy always. They do not raise disputes and do their work dutifully.

Question 12.
Write a letter to the Minister asking for what you think would be a proper payment to the workers. (NCERT Page 110)
Answer.
Date: ……….
To
The Minister of Textiles
Govt, of India
New Delhi 110001

Subject: Proper payment to textile workers.

Hon’ble Sir,

The condition of the textile workers is not satisfactory. They are exploited due to their ignorance and their need. I would request you to please ensure proper payment for these workers.

Following are a few suggestions, your office can cross-check and the same can be announced so that factory owners follow them.

Thanking your
Your’s sincerely
ABC

Question 13.
The shirt (See on page 110 of the NCERT Textbook) shows the profit made by the businessperson and the various costs that he had to pay. Find out from the diagram, what the cost price includes? (NCERT Page 110)
Answer.
The cost price includes: purchase, storage and advertising (200 + 100 + 300 = 600).

Question 14.
Compare the earnings per shirt of the worker in the garment factory, the garment exporter, and the businessperson in the market abroad. What do you find? (NCERT Page 111)
Answer.

  1. The earning of the workers per shirt is very low. It is ₹ 15 per shirt.
  2. Does the garment exporter earn₹ 100 per shirt?
  3. The foreign businessman earns ₹ 600 per shirt.
  4. In this way, the earnings go on increasing from worker to the businessman abroad.

Question 15.
What are the reasons that the businessperson is able to make a huge profit in the market? (NCERT Page 111)
Answer.

  1. He sells his shirts to high-income people.
  2. They do not ask for the prices.
  3. He is a high profile businessman.

Question 16.
You have read the chapter on advertising. Why does the businessperson spend ₹ 300 per shirt on advertising? Discuss. (NCERT Page 111)
Answer.
Does the businessperson spend ₹ 300 per shirt on advertising because of the following reasons:

  1. Advertising introduces the shirt to prospective buyers.
  2. It creates attractiveness.
  3. It presents the shirt in such a way that people buy instantly.
  4. Branded shirts fetch more profits.

Question 17.
From the given pictures (See NCERT Textbook on page 107) state how the weavers weave the yarn into cloth and handover the cloth to the trader who had supplied them yam.
Answer.

  1.  These traders have developed extensive contacts with garments’ firms around the country from whom they get orders. These traders purchase the yarn (thread) from others.
  2. The weavers live in villages around and take the yam supplied by these traders to their homes where the looms are located in sheds adjacent to their house. The weavers and their families spend long hours working on these looms. Most weaving units have about 2-8 power-looms on which the yam is woven into cloth. A variety of sari, towels, shirting, ladies’ dress material, and bedsheets are produced in these looms.
  3. They then bring back the finished cloth to the traders. Here, they can be seen getting ready to go to the trader in the town. The trader keeps an account of the yam given and pays them money for weaving this into cloth.