In short, Morris's argument is that the market expanded so that it was possible to accommodate both Manchester and Indian Weaver's produce. Manchester cloth, Morris maintained, did not displace indigenous weaver's cloth. This view of Morris is unacceptable because he does not produce any evidence to prove increase in population and per capita income during the 19th century.

Daniel Thorner has put forward the controversial thesis that the census statistics available from 1881 do not suggest that de-industrialisation was in progress from 1881 to 1931. At first sight, the census figures indicate that the male work-force in agriculture increased from 65% in 1881 to 72% in 1931, while the proportion in industry declined from 16% in 1881 to 9% in 1931