Orientalism and British Rule

The Orientalists

Scholars studying the East, particularly India, focusing on its history and culture, led by Sir William Jones

How did Britain transform from Tolerance to Arrogance towards India

Cultural superiority complex among British rulers towards Indian society due to industrialization and technological advances in the 19th century

Mutiny

Rebellion in 1857 of Indian soldiers against British officers, seeking to establish Mughal rule, suppressed within a year

British Raj/The Crown Rule

The period following the Government of India Act in 1858-1947, marked by British rule and the establishment of the Indian Civil Service and infrastructure development

Indian Civil Service

The framework that ensured the smooth operation of the British colonial system

Purpose of Indian Civil Service

1. Recruited staff via competition examination but only held in London (limited access to Indians due to location)

2. Britons felt as if it would be useful to hire Indians for the minor positions

Advantages of Colonial Government in India

1. Promotion of agriculture, public health, education, and transportation

1. The Establishment of Bombay, Madras, and Calcutta

2. Built the largest railroad network in Asia

Disadvantages of Colonial Government in India

1. Britains who lived lived in separate residential areas from Indian towns

2. Most Indians remained poor, illiterate, and powerless

3. Occasional regional famine occurred

4. Expenses covered from Indian revenues

Scholars belief about the British Colonial Government in India

The scholars believed that the colonial government favoured England over India, leaving local rulers to manage struggles in a poor country lacking resources for effective governance.

Surendranath Banerjee

Indian nationalist born in 1848, served as an Assistant Magistrate and later formed the British Indian Association

British Indian Association

One of the first organized efforts towards political representation and advocacy for Indian interests during British colonial rule

Calico

A popular textile in India, named after its origin in Calicut

Description de l'Egypte

Influential work documenting different cultures, particularly Egypt, with a profound effect on French architecture and decorative arts

Why is Orientalism seen as Propaganda

Orientalist paintings depicted the East as exotic and in need of French influence

Spread of Orientalism

European artists traveled to the Near East and North Africa, influencing their work

Harem Scenes

A popular theme in Orientalist art, depicting luxurious interiors and female slaves, highly sought after by European elites

The Orient

The middle east, Asia, and Africa

Romanticized View of the Orient

Place of romance, exotic beings, and remarkable experiences, fading with the destruction caused by civil wars

Purpose of Orientalism

1. A way for Europeans to come to terms with the Orient

2. A source of fascination due to its rich history, languages, and civilizations

3. Used for Western powers to dominate and control the Orient

Edward Said

Palestinian American who left Palestine and wrote Orientalism, which critiqued Western representations of the Middle East

What Edward Said believe about Western representation of the Middle East?

They often reflected and perpetuated colonialist attitudes and stereotypes