British Colonial Rule in India

British Impact on India

Railroads and Infrastructure

• Railroads were constructed to transport factory-made goods across the Indian subcontinent.
• These railroads facilitated the movement of Indian cotton, jute, and coal to coastal ports for export to factories in England.
• New communication methods, such as the telegraph, enhanced British control over India.
• The opening of the Suez Canal in 1888 significantly boosted British trade with India.
• This trade relationship was unequal, primarily benefiting the British.

Transformation of Indian Agriculture

• The British encouraged nomadic herders to transition into settled farming.
• Farmers were pushed to cultivate cash crops like cotton and jute for the global market.
• This shift led to the decline of India's hand-weaving industry due to the influx of inexpensive, machine-made textiles from Britain.
• The emphasis on new farmlands resulted in extensive deforestation.

Population Growth and Famine

• Introduction of medical improvements and new farming techniques led to rapid population growth.
• Increased population put strain on food supplies, leading to famines in the late 1800s.
• Farmland was repurposed for cash crops instead of food production, exacerbating food scarcity.

Benefits of British Rule

• The British introduced a legal system aimed at promoting justice regardless of caste.
• They brought a degree of peace and order to the countryside.
• The legal system was revised to promote justice for Indians regardless of class or caste.
• Railroads facilitated movement across the country, while the telegraph and postal system improved communication.
• Increased contact helped bridge regional differences and foster a sense of national unity.
• Upper classes benefited from British policies, with sons sent to British schools for civil service and military training.
• Indian landowners and princes grew wealthy through the export of cash crops.

Different Views on Culture

• Some educated Indians were impressed by British power and technology, advocating for India to adopt a Western model of progress.
• These upper-class Indians embraced English language and Western customs.
• Other Indians believed that the solution to change lay within their own Hindu or Muslim cultures.

Ram Mohun Roy's Synthesis

• Ram Mohun Roy (early 1800s) combined both views, recognizing value in Western education while advocating for reform in traditional Indian culture.
• Roy was a scholar proficient in Sanskrit, Persian, Arabic, English, Greek, and Latin.
• He founded Hindu College in Calcutta, providing English-style education.
• Many graduates established English schools throughout the region.
• Roy condemned practices like rigid caste distinctions, child marriage, sati, and purdah (isolation of women).
• He also established educational societies to revive pride in Indian culture.
• Roy is often regarded as the founder of Indian nationalism due to his influence on later leaders.