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Q90 (IAS/2015) Economy › Growth, Development, Poverty & Employment › Economic growth theories Official Key

The substitution of steel for wooden ploughs in agricultural production is an example of

Result
Your answer: —  ·  Correct: B
Explanation

Capital-augmenting technical progress refers to innovations or improvements in technology that specifically increase the effectiveness or productivity of capital[1]. When steel ploughs replace wooden ploughs, the same amount of capital investment becomes more productive. Heavy iron-tipped ploughs could dig much deeper and the mould-boards turned the topsoil properly, with this the nutrients from the soil were better utilised[2], compared to wooden ploughs which could at best scratch the surface of the earth and were unable to fully draw out the natural productivity of the soil[3].

This substitution makes capital (the plough) more effective without necessarily changing the amount of labor required. The steel plough represents an improvement in the quality of capital equipment, enabling greater output per unit of capital invested. Therefore, this is a classic example of capital-augmenting technological progress, where better capital goods enhance productivity.

Sources

  1. [2] Themes in world history, History Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 4: The Three Orders > New Agricultural Technology > p. 97
  2. [3] Themes in world history, History Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 4: The Three Orders > Land Use > p. 96
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Q. The substitution of steel for wooden ploughs in agricultural production is an example of [A] labour-augmenting technological progress […
At a glance
Origin: Books + Current Affairs Fairness: Moderate fairness Books / CA: 6.7/10 · 3.3/10
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This is a classic 'Applied Theory' question. It takes a dry concept from Microeconomics (Production Functions) and wraps it in a historical/agricultural example. The challenge isn't knowing history, but mapping the physical change (Wood -> Steel) to the correct economic variable (Capital vs. Labour).

How this question is built

This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.

Statement 1
Does substituting steel ploughs for wooden ploughs in agricultural production constitute labour-augmenting technological progress?
Origin: Direct from books Fairness: Straightforward Book-answerable
From standard books
Themes in world history, History Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 4: The Three Orders > New Agricultural Technology > p. 97
Presence: 5/5
“By the eleventh century, there is evidence of several technological changes. Instead of the basic wooden ploughs, cultivators began using heavy iron-tipped ploughs and mould-boards. These ploughs could dig much deeper and the mould-boards turned the topsoil properly. With this the nutrients from the soil were better utilised. The methods of harnessing animals to the plough improved. Instead of the neck-harness, the shoulder-harness came into use. This enabled animals to exert greater power. Horses were now better shod, with iron horseshoes, which prevented foot decay. There was increased use of wind and water energy for agriculture. More waterpowered and wind-powered mills were set up all over Europe for purposes like milling corn and pressing grapes.”
Why this source?
  • Explicitly describes heavy iron-tipped ploughs and mould-boards digging deeper and turning topsoil, improving nutrient use — a clear productivity-enhancing change.
  • Notes improved harnessing (shoulder-harness) enabling animals to exert greater power, which raises the effective output per unit of labour/animal.
  • Puts iron ploughs in the context of broader energy/technology adoption (wind and water mills), indicating technological shifts that augment production capacity.
THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY PART I, History CLASS XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 2: Kings, Farmers and Towns > 5.2 Strategies for increasing production > p. 38
Presence: 4/5
“One such strategy was the shift to plough agriculture, which spread in fertile alluvial river valleys such as those of the Ganga and the Kaveri from c. sixth century BCE. The iron-tipped ploughshare was used to turn the alluvial soil in areas which had high rainfall. Moreover, in some parts of the Ganga valley, production of paddy was dramatically increased by the introduction of transplantation, although this meant back-breaking work for the producer. While the iron ploughshare led to a growth in agricultural productivity, its use was restricted to certain parts of the subcontinent – cultivators in”
Why this source?
  • States that the iron ploughshare led to a growth in agricultural productivity, directly linking the technology to higher output.
  • Although geographically uneven, the snippet ties the iron plough to increased production — implying labour productivity gains where adopted.
Themes in world history, History Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 4: The Three Orders > Land Use > p. 96
Presence: 4/5
“Initially, agricultural technology was very primitive. The only mechanical aid available to the peasant was the wooden plough, drawn by a team of oxen. This plough could at best scratch the surface of the earth and was unable to fully draw out the natural productivity of the soil. Agriculture was therefore very labour intensive. Fields had to be”
Why this source?
  • Describes the wooden plough as primitive and agriculture as very labour intensive because the wooden plough only scratched the surface.
  • By contrasting the labour-intensity of wooden ploughs with later iron implements, it supports the inference that substituting iron/steel ploughs reduces labour required per unit output.
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