British Raj...Good or Bad
British came to India as a trader, not to colonies India, it was a particular set of environment in time and space that led to monstrous cupidity which in turn ended with colonization.
Before we go for an excursion to British Raj, let’s have a factual introduction of both players (India & Britain). 1600 AD would be a good point to start as Britishers, the east India company , came to India in 31 Dec 1600.
Percentage share of Britain’s or rather as we are to say, The Great Britain to the world GDP = 1.8%.
Percentage share of India, later to be colonized, to the world GDP = 23%
At this point of time, I will like to present Briton’s opinion. GDP is basically, in laymen term, net consumption by any countries’ inhabitant. Since India is considerably large country, it’s GDP is ought to be higher than that of Britain’s.
I 100% agree with this proposition given by Great Britain. But when someone tries to exculpate the colonial rule, they are obelized to answer , Why then, in 1947 , the year, Britishers left India, India’s share to world GDP was around 2% and Britain was soaring with around 15% during its peak.
Percentage share of Britain’s or rather as we are to say, The Great Britain to the world GDP = 1.8%.
Percentage share of India, later to be colonized, to the world GDP = 23%
At this point of time, I will like to present Briton’s opinion. GDP is basically, in laymen term, net consumption by any countries’ inhabitant. Since India is considerably large country, it’s GDP is ought to be higher than that of Britain’s.
I 100% agree with this proposition given by Great Britain. But when someone tries to exculpate the colonial rule, they are obelized to answer , Why then, in 1947 , the year, Britishers left India, India’s share to world GDP was around 2% and Britain was soaring with around 15% during its peak.
Now lets begin our journey of exploitation AKA development of India. We will be exploring following topic that britishers frequently extol:
1) Destroying India’s cottage Industry (British version of Industrialisation)
2) Destruction of Ship building and shipping
3) Destroying India’s Iron and Steel industry, the backbone of Industrialization AKA modernization.
4) Making Monuments like Hawrah Bridge, Fort William, Parliament etc
5) Unifying India, providing a political identity
In conclusion we will be analyzing the 200 years of British rule and 71 years of Independent India in all possible dimensions.
Lets Go;
Lets Go;
Textile industry is a skill based industry, throughout the civilized world Indian textile especially Indian Muslin was in great demand. Its popularity was such that in early days Roman empire sought to impose ban on Indian Muslin(Stating it was too transparent and thin to be wore by Roman women), in modern era Britishers in England used to sell their domestic product with Indian logo on it to increase sell.
EVIDENCE to support above argument: Angus Meddision a British economic historian, a very renowned personality, wrote in his book that with the coming of East India Company (EIC) led to an increase in demand of Bengal’s Textile by 33%. This increasing trend of demands of Indian goods kept increasing till EIC was merely a trader not a administrator.
WHAT HAPPENED WHEN EIC became ADMINISTRATOR ?
There is an oral legacy that British used to cut thumbs of Indian weavers so that they are not able to weave. It is possible, like other oral legacy (Shah Jahan cut the hands of workers who built Taj Mahal) it may be wrong but it provides the prevalent foreign smell in air.
LETS BEIGN with FACTS ; 1717, the Mughal emperor Farukh Shiyar was suffering from a chronic disease, which was cured by William Hamilton, a British surgeon, who had come to India with EIC . Emperor showed his gratitude towards britishers by passing a Royal Farman, allowing Britishers to reside and trade in entire Mughal territory without paying taxes(they need to pay 3000 rupee yearly, this was not a tax, it was just a formality which shows britishers accept Mughal sujerinity.).Company was also allowed to issue Dastak AKA passes for the movements of the goods.
English used this power of issuing pass to lure local traders, earned lots of money. Almost all local trader were under English control. Suddenly in 1739 Nadir shah attacks Mughal emperor and loots every thing he could(Loot amount was so large that Nadir shah removed all taxes in Persia for 3 years). Looking at this perfect time, local economy at his hand and weak Mughal at center, they waged a deceptive and notorious war, infamously called BATTLE OF PLASSEY.
Now British controlled Diwani(Fiscal issues) and Nizam controlled Nizamat. This is the point from where destruction of Indian textile begins. British Taxed Indian Goods 70-80% which raised the cost of indian goods and flooded the Indian market with their Made in Britain goods. Now demand of Indian goods started contracting at the hand of britishers, in this situation Indians started selling raw cotton at low price to EIC and EIC manufactured final goods in England and exported back to India at high price. This continued for a long period, till then Indian weavers had fallen in poverty trap, then comes Industrial revolution, unaffordable to Indian weavers as it needs capital investment.
Someone is fearing from Indian ship, the world’s greatest Navy the great Britain is all set to destroy Indian SHIPPING Industry:Indian ships were known for its endurance, long before British came, during CHOLA empire. Lets come to modern history. Bhonsle using his Navy had defended west coast from portugese. These statements are not that convincing, hence lets dive into sea of minute details. Story starts from 1757, The Battle of Pallassey, British had Mughal Farman and Dewani power. Using these they imposed new law that only British made ships will be used by britishers, As they had systematically destroyed Indian trade and they are not allowing Indian ships to be used in britsh trade, this led to a decline in demands of Indian Ships in commensurate with demand in Indian Goods.
Lets analyse quality of Indian ship in respect with British. During Napoleonic war in 1803, 173,000 tones of british ships were destroyed, which led to a sudden increase in demands of ships. This forced civilized English to pass a new legislation called NAVIGATION ACT . Expediently, Indian shipping was now deemed to be British and Indian sailors were reclassified as British sailors, allowing them to British Trade route. But this honeymoon period of Indian ship builder didn’t lasted for long. Napoleonic wars ended, the Navigation Acts were again amended to exclude Indian shipping and the industry once again declined. With these information we are set to grasp the main objective of this para, the quality of Indian ship. World war is to start, its 1914. British again are in need for large number of ships. So English allows V.O. Chidambaram Pillai in Madras to set up a shipping company. Success of his company set alarm bell ringing, however , and when regulation alone did not destroy his business, he was quickly jailed for his NATIONALIST VIEWs. By second decade of 19th Century there was rising unemployment in the shipbuilding industries in England, as Indians were taking over. Britishers stated that India has trees like teak and sal which has more endurance then what Britain has that is oak and fir. Average life of Indian ship without maintenance was 20 year while that of Britain with maintenance was 11 year. So clearly the difference that was discussed even in house of commons in Britain was ostensibly huge. But they to save their own domestic employment passed number of legislation to destroy Indian ship building industry . This is why it is said Britains’s Industrial revolution was built on the destruction of India’s thriving manufacturing industries.
one funny incident,
EVIDENCE to support above argument: Angus Meddision a British economic historian, a very renowned personality, wrote in his book that with the coming of East India Company (EIC) led to an increase in demand of Bengal’s Textile by 33%. This increasing trend of demands of Indian goods kept increasing till EIC was merely a trader not a administrator.
WHAT HAPPENED WHEN EIC became ADMINISTRATOR ?
There is an oral legacy that British used to cut thumbs of Indian weavers so that they are not able to weave. It is possible, like other oral legacy (Shah Jahan cut the hands of workers who built Taj Mahal) it may be wrong but it provides the prevalent foreign smell in air.
LETS BEIGN with FACTS ; 1717, the Mughal emperor Farukh Shiyar was suffering from a chronic disease, which was cured by William Hamilton, a British surgeon, who had come to India with EIC . Emperor showed his gratitude towards britishers by passing a Royal Farman, allowing Britishers to reside and trade in entire Mughal territory without paying taxes(they need to pay 3000 rupee yearly, this was not a tax, it was just a formality which shows britishers accept Mughal sujerinity.).Company was also allowed to issue Dastak AKA passes for the movements of the goods.
English used this power of issuing pass to lure local traders, earned lots of money. Almost all local trader were under English control. Suddenly in 1739 Nadir shah attacks Mughal emperor and loots every thing he could(Loot amount was so large that Nadir shah removed all taxes in Persia for 3 years). Looking at this perfect time, local economy at his hand and weak Mughal at center, they waged a deceptive and notorious war, infamously called BATTLE OF PLASSEY.
Now British controlled Diwani(Fiscal issues) and Nizam controlled Nizamat. This is the point from where destruction of Indian textile begins. British Taxed Indian Goods 70-80% which raised the cost of indian goods and flooded the Indian market with their Made in Britain goods. Now demand of Indian goods started contracting at the hand of britishers, in this situation Indians started selling raw cotton at low price to EIC and EIC manufactured final goods in England and exported back to India at high price. This continued for a long period, till then Indian weavers had fallen in poverty trap, then comes Industrial revolution, unaffordable to Indian weavers as it needs capital investment.
Someone is fearing from Indian ship, the world’s greatest Navy the great Britain is all set to destroy Indian SHIPPING Industry:Indian ships were known for its endurance, long before British came, during CHOLA empire. Lets come to modern history. Bhonsle using his Navy had defended west coast from portugese. These statements are not that convincing, hence lets dive into sea of minute details. Story starts from 1757, The Battle of Pallassey, British had Mughal Farman and Dewani power. Using these they imposed new law that only British made ships will be used by britishers, As they had systematically destroyed Indian trade and they are not allowing Indian ships to be used in britsh trade, this led to a decline in demands of Indian Ships in commensurate with demand in Indian Goods.
Lets analyse quality of Indian ship in respect with British. During Napoleonic war in 1803, 173,000 tones of british ships were destroyed, which led to a sudden increase in demands of ships. This forced civilized English to pass a new legislation called NAVIGATION ACT . Expediently, Indian shipping was now deemed to be British and Indian sailors were reclassified as British sailors, allowing them to British Trade route. But this honeymoon period of Indian ship builder didn’t lasted for long. Napoleonic wars ended, the Navigation Acts were again amended to exclude Indian shipping and the industry once again declined. With these information we are set to grasp the main objective of this para, the quality of Indian ship. World war is to start, its 1914. British again are in need for large number of ships. So English allows V.O. Chidambaram Pillai in Madras to set up a shipping company. Success of his company set alarm bell ringing, however , and when regulation alone did not destroy his business, he was quickly jailed for his NATIONALIST VIEWs. By second decade of 19th Century there was rising unemployment in the shipbuilding industries in England, as Indians were taking over. Britishers stated that India has trees like teak and sal which has more endurance then what Britain has that is oak and fir. Average life of Indian ship without maintenance was 20 year while that of Britain with maintenance was 11 year. So clearly the difference that was discussed even in house of commons in Britain was ostensibly huge. But they to save their own domestic employment passed number of legislation to destroy Indian ship building industry . This is why it is said Britains’s Industrial revolution was built on the destruction of India’s thriving manufacturing industries.
one funny incident,
To be continued…….
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