ABSTRACT
At the height of British power in India, in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, in addition to being the capital of the Raj, Calcutta was also a significant hub of commerce, manufacturing, and trade. This chapter examines the changing architecture of trade and its impact on the port workforce in the period 1870–1880. It talks about how these changes affected the port's workforce. In particular, the chapter implores what part did modernization in this form play in class formation. The Calcutta port modernization project of the mid-nineteenth century commenced with the construction of jetties on the port waterfront. In addition to changes in port infrastructure, there is evidence to suggest that the modernization process also included changes in labor management. The modernization of Calcutta's port during the British Raj had a number of impacts on both the port and its people.
