Background:
During the 1700s, a joint-stock company called the British East India Company was chartered by Queen Elizabeth I of England. The company’s main objective was to make a profit for shareholders by exploiting the abundant natural resources, such as spices, gems, jewels, tea, and exotic furs, and gaining access to the markets in India. To do this, the British East India Company successfully used “divide and conquer” tactics to increase their control over entire regions of the Indian subcontinent. This strategy entailed fanning the flames of religious division between native Muslim and Hindu groups, and taking advantage of the political rivalries that existed between local native rulers. Over time, the British East India Company annexed more land under their power. British power and influence increased in India, and native customs, such as sati, the ritual suicide of a wife after her husband’s death, were banned. The British built schools and railroads, and missionaries spread Christianity.
By 1857, the British army in India included a large number of Indian soldiers, or Sepoys. The rifle cartridges that were distributed to the Sepoys had to be bitten to remove a cover before being inserted into a gun. Rumors circulated among the Sepoys that this cover had been greased with beef and pork fat. This angered Muslim Sepoys, who were not supposed to consume pork, and the Hindu Sepoys, who were not supposed to eat beef. This, coupled with many other underlying reasons, led the Sepoys to revolt against the British army, who eventually ended the conflict through use of force. In Western history, we call this the Sepoy Rebellion; in Indian history, this is known as the Indian Rebellion or the First War of India's Independence. This conflict resulted in the British government (rather than a joint-stock company) officially taking control of India, making it a colony. The time period between 1857 and the Indian Independence Act of 1947 (which established India as an independent country) was known as the British Raj.
During the 1700s, a joint-stock company called the British East India Company was chartered by Queen Elizabeth I of England. The company’s main objective was to make a profit for shareholders by exploiting the abundant natural resources, such as spices, gems, jewels, tea, and exotic furs, and gaining access to the markets in India. To do this, the British East India Company successfully used “divide and conquer” tactics to increase their control over entire regions of the Indian subcontinent. This strategy entailed fanning the flames of religious division between native Muslim and Hindu groups, and taking advantage of the political rivalries that existed between local native rulers. Over time, the British East India Company annexed more land under their power. British power and influence increased in India, and native customs, such as sati, the ritual suicide of a wife after her husband’s death, were banned. The British built schools and railroads, and missionaries spread Christianity.
By 1857, the British army in India included a large number of Indian soldiers, or Sepoys. The rifle cartridges that were distributed to the Sepoys had to be bitten to remove a cover before being inserted into a gun. Rumors circulated among the Sepoys that this cover had been greased with beef and pork fat. This angered Muslim Sepoys, who were not supposed to consume pork, and the Hindu Sepoys, who were not supposed to eat beef. This, coupled with many other underlying reasons, led the Sepoys to revolt against the British army, who eventually ended the conflict through use of force. In Western history, we call this the Sepoy Rebellion; in Indian history, this is known as the Indian Rebellion or the First War of India's Independence. This conflict resulted in the British government (rather than a joint-stock company) officially taking control of India, making it a colony. The time period between 1857 and the Indian Independence Act of 1947 (which established India as an independent country) was known as the British Raj.
Document A
Images of the Sepoy Mutiny, various sources
Images of the Sepoy Mutiny, various sources
Document B
Document B, Part 1
"British brains, British enterprise, and British capital have changed the face of India. Means of communication have been developed. There are great numbers of bridges, more than 40,000 miles of railway, and 70,000 miles of paved roads. These testify to the skill and industry of British engineers. Irrigation works on a very large scale and have brought 30 million acres under cultivation. This has greatly added to the agricultural wealth of the country. Industrialization has also begun. India now has improved sanitation and a higher standard of living. It has a fine transport system and carefully thought out schemes for relief work. Because of these things famines have now almost disappeared." - Adapted from British historian, J.A.R. Marriott’s book, The English in India, 1932
Document B, Part 2
Famines during the British Raj
Bengal famine of 1770: 10 million
Chalisa famine of 1783–84: 11 million
Skull famine of 1791–92: 11 million
Agra famine of 1837–38: 800,000 thousand
Upper Doab famine of 1860–61: 2 million
Orissa famine of 1866: 1 million
Rajputana famine of 1869: 1.5 million
Great Famine of 1876–78: 10.3 million
Ganjam, Orissa and North Bihar 1888–89: 150,000 thousand
Indian famine of 1896–97: 5 million
Indian famine of 1899–1900: 1 million
Bombay 1905–06: 235,062 thousand
Bengal famine of 1943: 5 million
Total deaths during 160 years of British India: ~ 60 million.
"British brains, British enterprise, and British capital have changed the face of India. Means of communication have been developed. There are great numbers of bridges, more than 40,000 miles of railway, and 70,000 miles of paved roads. These testify to the skill and industry of British engineers. Irrigation works on a very large scale and have brought 30 million acres under cultivation. This has greatly added to the agricultural wealth of the country. Industrialization has also begun. India now has improved sanitation and a higher standard of living. It has a fine transport system and carefully thought out schemes for relief work. Because of these things famines have now almost disappeared." - Adapted from British historian, J.A.R. Marriott’s book, The English in India, 1932
Document B, Part 2
Famines during the British Raj
Bengal famine of 1770: 10 million
Chalisa famine of 1783–84: 11 million
Skull famine of 1791–92: 11 million
Agra famine of 1837–38: 800,000 thousand
Upper Doab famine of 1860–61: 2 million
Orissa famine of 1866: 1 million
Rajputana famine of 1869: 1.5 million
Great Famine of 1876–78: 10.3 million
Ganjam, Orissa and North Bihar 1888–89: 150,000 thousand
Indian famine of 1896–97: 5 million
Indian famine of 1899–1900: 1 million
Bombay 1905–06: 235,062 thousand
Bengal famine of 1943: 5 million
Total deaths during 160 years of British India: ~ 60 million.
Document C
Image of British nobility after a big game hunt
Image of British nobility after a big game hunt
Document D
Dadabhai Naoroji:
Excerpts from The Benefits of British Rule, 1871
Dadabhai Naoroji:
Excerpts from The Benefits of British Rule, 1871
The Benefits of British Rule for India:
In the Cause of Humanity: Abolition of sati and infanticide. Destruction of Dacoits, Thugs, Pindarees, and other such pests of Indian society. Allowing remarriage of Hindu widows, and charitable aid in time of famine. Glorious work all this, of which any nation may well be proud, and such as has not fallen to the lot of any people in the history of mankind.
In the Cause of Civilization: Education, both male and female. Though yet only partial, an inestimable blessing as far as it has gone, and leading gradually to the destruction of superstition, and many moral and social evils. Resuscitation of India's own noble literature, modified and refined by the enlightenment of the West.
Politically: Peace and order. Freedom of speech and liberty of the press. Higher political knowledge and aspirations. Improvement of government in the native states. Security of life and property. Freedom from oppression caused by the caprice or greed of despotic rulers, and from devastation by war. Equal justice between man and man (sometimes vitiated by partiality to Europeans). Services of highly educated administrators, who have achieved the above-mentioned results.
Materially: Loans for railways and irrigation. Development of a few valuable products, such as indigo, tea, coffee, silk, etc. Increase of exports. Telegraphs.
Generally: A slowly growing desire of late to treat India equitably, and as a country held in trust. Good intentions. No nation on the face of the earth has ever had the opportunity of achieving such a glorious work as this. I hope in the credit side of the account I have done no injustice, and if I have omitted any item which anyone may think of importance, I shall have the greatest pleasure in inserting it. I appreciate, and so do my countrymen, what England has done for India, and I know that it is only in British hands that her regeneration can be accomplished. Now for the debit side.
The Detriments of British Rule:
In the Cause of Humanity: Nothing. Everything, therefore, is in your favor under this heading.
In the Cause of Civilization: As I have said already, there has been a failure to do as much as might have been done, but I put nothing to the debit. Much has been done, though.
Politically: Repeated breach of pledges to give the natives a fair and reasonable share in the higher administration of their own country, which has much shaken confidence in the good faith of the British word. Political aspirations and the legitimate claim to have a reasonable voice in the legislation and the imposition and disbursement of taxes, met to a very slight degree, thus treating the natives of India not as British subjects, in whom representation is a birthright. Consequent on the above, an utter disregard of the feelings and views of the natives. The great moral evil of the drain of wisdom and practical administration, leaving none to guide the rising generation.
Financially: All attention is engrossed in devising new modes of taxation, without any adequate effort to increase the means of the people to pay; and the consequent vexation and oppressiveness of the taxes imposed, imperial and local. Inequitable financial relations between England and India…
Materially: The political drain, up to this time, from India to England, of above ,500,000,000, at the lowest computation, in principal alone, which with interest would be some thousands of millions… The consequent continuous impoverishment and exhaustion of the country, except so far as it has been very partially relieved and replenished by the railway and irrigation loans, and the windfall of the consequences of the American war, since 1850. Even with this relief, the material condition of India is such that the great mass of the poor have hardly tuppence a day and a few rags, or a scanty subsistence. The famines that were in their power to prevent, if they had done their duty, as a good and intelligent government. The policy adopted during the last fifteen years of building railways, irrigation works, etc., is hopeful, has already resulted in much good to your credit, and if persevered in, gratitude and contentment will follow. An increase of exports without adequate compensation; loss of manufacturing industry and skill. Here I end the debit side.
Summary: To sum up the whole, the British rule has been: morally, a great blessing; politically, peace and order on one hand, blunders on the other; materially, impoverishment, relieved as far as the railway and other loans go. The natives call the British system "Sakar ki Churi," the knife of sugar. That is to say, there is no oppression, it is all smooth and sweet, but it is the knife, notwithstanding. I mention this that you should know these feelings. Our great misfortune is that you do not know our wants. When you will know our real wishes, I have not the least doubt that you would do justice. The genius and spirit of the British people is fair play and justice.
In the Cause of Humanity: Abolition of sati and infanticide. Destruction of Dacoits, Thugs, Pindarees, and other such pests of Indian society. Allowing remarriage of Hindu widows, and charitable aid in time of famine. Glorious work all this, of which any nation may well be proud, and such as has not fallen to the lot of any people in the history of mankind.
In the Cause of Civilization: Education, both male and female. Though yet only partial, an inestimable blessing as far as it has gone, and leading gradually to the destruction of superstition, and many moral and social evils. Resuscitation of India's own noble literature, modified and refined by the enlightenment of the West.
Politically: Peace and order. Freedom of speech and liberty of the press. Higher political knowledge and aspirations. Improvement of government in the native states. Security of life and property. Freedom from oppression caused by the caprice or greed of despotic rulers, and from devastation by war. Equal justice between man and man (sometimes vitiated by partiality to Europeans). Services of highly educated administrators, who have achieved the above-mentioned results.
Materially: Loans for railways and irrigation. Development of a few valuable products, such as indigo, tea, coffee, silk, etc. Increase of exports. Telegraphs.
Generally: A slowly growing desire of late to treat India equitably, and as a country held in trust. Good intentions. No nation on the face of the earth has ever had the opportunity of achieving such a glorious work as this. I hope in the credit side of the account I have done no injustice, and if I have omitted any item which anyone may think of importance, I shall have the greatest pleasure in inserting it. I appreciate, and so do my countrymen, what England has done for India, and I know that it is only in British hands that her regeneration can be accomplished. Now for the debit side.
The Detriments of British Rule:
In the Cause of Humanity: Nothing. Everything, therefore, is in your favor under this heading.
In the Cause of Civilization: As I have said already, there has been a failure to do as much as might have been done, but I put nothing to the debit. Much has been done, though.
Politically: Repeated breach of pledges to give the natives a fair and reasonable share in the higher administration of their own country, which has much shaken confidence in the good faith of the British word. Political aspirations and the legitimate claim to have a reasonable voice in the legislation and the imposition and disbursement of taxes, met to a very slight degree, thus treating the natives of India not as British subjects, in whom representation is a birthright. Consequent on the above, an utter disregard of the feelings and views of the natives. The great moral evil of the drain of wisdom and practical administration, leaving none to guide the rising generation.
Financially: All attention is engrossed in devising new modes of taxation, without any adequate effort to increase the means of the people to pay; and the consequent vexation and oppressiveness of the taxes imposed, imperial and local. Inequitable financial relations between England and India…
Materially: The political drain, up to this time, from India to England, of above ,500,000,000, at the lowest computation, in principal alone, which with interest would be some thousands of millions… The consequent continuous impoverishment and exhaustion of the country, except so far as it has been very partially relieved and replenished by the railway and irrigation loans, and the windfall of the consequences of the American war, since 1850. Even with this relief, the material condition of India is such that the great mass of the poor have hardly tuppence a day and a few rags, or a scanty subsistence. The famines that were in their power to prevent, if they had done their duty, as a good and intelligent government. The policy adopted during the last fifteen years of building railways, irrigation works, etc., is hopeful, has already resulted in much good to your credit, and if persevered in, gratitude and contentment will follow. An increase of exports without adequate compensation; loss of manufacturing industry and skill. Here I end the debit side.
Summary: To sum up the whole, the British rule has been: morally, a great blessing; politically, peace and order on one hand, blunders on the other; materially, impoverishment, relieved as far as the railway and other loans go. The natives call the British system "Sakar ki Churi," the knife of sugar. That is to say, there is no oppression, it is all smooth and sweet, but it is the knife, notwithstanding. I mention this that you should know these feelings. Our great misfortune is that you do not know our wants. When you will know our real wishes, I have not the least doubt that you would do justice. The genius and spirit of the British people is fair play and justice.
Document E
Benefits to India during British Imperialism
Romesh Dutt, The Economic History of India Under Early British Rule, K. Paul Trench, Trubner & Co. Ltd, 1902 (adapted) Englishmen… have given the people of India the greatest human blessing – peace. They introduced Western education. This has brought an ancient and civilized nation in touch with modern thought, modern sciences, and modern life. They have built an administration that is strong and efficient. They have framed wise laws and have established courts of justice. |
"Does Colonization Pay?”
O.P. Austin, The Forum, 1900 (adapted) Modern progressive nations (European colonizers) … seek to control “garden spots” in the tropics. Under their direction, these places can yield the tropical produce that their citizens need. In return the progressive nations bring the people of those garden spots the foodstuffs and manufactures they need. They develop the territory by building roads, canals, railways, and telegraphs. The progressive nations can establish schools and newspapers for the people of the colonies. They can also give these people the benefit of other blessings of civilization which they have not the means of creating themselves. |