Question

Who is involved in the putting-out system? How is this system advantageous and disadvantageous to the weavers?

Answer 1

Hint: Putting-out system is an old practice of buying and selling goods manufactured at the domestic level. It is also known as the cottage industry and usually, the entire family of the weaver helps in the process.

Complete answer: The putting-out system involves two parties – the weaver and the merchant.
A. There are various advantages and disadvantages of this system to the weavers. Let us first look at the advantages it has to offer to the weavers:
B. The weavers are given a pre-determined estimate of the kind of cloth they need to make and also the quantity that needs to be woven. In this way, a lot of extra labor is saved.
C. The weavers are supplied with the yarn so the money to be spent on buying the raw material is saved.
D. The weavers also save the cost of transportation and the sales-related cost of the finished products.
E. The workers can work at their pace, and the family members can lend a helping hand to complete the workload.
However, the system has its disadvantages for the weavers.
1. The weavers are often exploited and are paid poorly for the work done.
2. The merchants hold a lot of power as the weavers are dependent upon them for raw materials.
3. The weavers are not aware of their rights and do not know the actual value of their work.

Note: Putting out the system was also known as the domestic system. In this system, the weavers' subcontract work from the merchant. This system was a precursor to the Industrial Revolution in Europe.