india under the british empire

\ {{colonial systems{{

  • colonialism   * origins (in asia)     * starts in portuguese and then with dutch, france, and britain     * interested in spices and tea and silk     * when they look for these things, their motivations change from species, as a result of the industrial revolution they need other things such as textiles and oil and tin and rubber     * in addition to raw materials they also need a market, conversion from colony to part of an empire     * in order to do this you need protection from attack and extensive maintenance     * MAIN       * imperialism and militarism go hand in hand for protection       * as you establish a colony, as an empire there are several ways you can rule         * through citizens, indirect rule: citizens are collaborating with the colonial power

typically used in fragmented areas, fragmentation can be used to one’s advantage

  • sometimes locals are removed and replaced with other rulers

in areas with stability, you want to remove the stability by removing the powers and replacing them and put in your own officials

  • how to treat these new colonies!   * may try assimilation, want to turn these colonies into more western areas, to dress, religion to be theirs, language change   * may try association, work in collaboration with the local leaders but leave everyone else alone   * direct vs indirect rule     * colonies decide how they want to be ruled based on economic interests and where they are going to

{{“good” and “bad” imperialism{{

  • some good things that the british did   * developed infrastructure   * brought more schools and education systems   * forms of communication   * development of a (small) indian middle and upper class   * infanticide (banned by them)     * in traditional india, the daughters marry and become part of the husband’s family, need a dowry, seen as a burden - sons are preferred   * banned sati     * when women became widowed, they were still seen as burdens by the other family and expected to throw themselves into the funeral pyre
  • the bad things   * industrialization underdevelopment     * will only do enough to benefit themselves     * will keep most of the industry work and stuff in india   * exploitation of cultural divisions   * political marginalization   * cultural imperialism     * there are more

{{nationalism and independence movements{{

  • modern nationalism   * first stages of resistance failed     * however proves that they wanted to do this and that the empire force has underestimated them a little   * causes of modern nationalism     * urban middle class       * typically this class liked some of the developments of the west but hated the foreigners being in their country     * lack of equality       * suppression       * “whites only”     * mixture of hope and resentment   * religion and nationalism     * these countries were never really united before so they wanted to unite under a religion and also they didn’t know when exactly to get independence - should they wait to modernize some more?   * the world wars facilitated calls for independence     * british used independence as an incentive to get them to participate in both world wars - if they participated they would get independence, the british announced self government but this never happened - after they didn’t get the promised independence put wartime regulations and jailed indians with no trial       * leds to any revolts       * cripps developed a plan for independence to happen right after the world war       * establish cabinet mission   * the indian national congress     * religious vs national identity     * first nationalists       * wanted reform, more representation       * created the indian national congress (congress party)       * wanted to speak for all of indian society however they are high caste, english trained, and hindu         * also a substantial muslim populaton in india bc of mughal empire       * they have difficulty trying to reconcile the religious differences and some of the party will break away         * gandhi and nonviolent resistance

^^mohandas gandhi^^

  • born in gujarat
  • upper middle class
  • goes to london to study
  • goes to south africa to work in a law firm to help other indians who are there
  • while in south africa exposed to racial prejudice and all notices that's what happens in india but not as obvious
  • comes back in 1915
  • comes with non violent resistance
  • satyagraha   * calls on his followers   * civil disobedience   * emblematic on swadeshi   * meaning self reliant   * there is a protest in amritsar and the british kill like 300
  • government of india act (1921)   * tried to give some representation for indians   * but now it’s too little too late   * british end up increasing salt tax   * the salt tax and the march to the sea
  • gandhi goes on a march with several of his followers to the sea protesting the salt tax   * new leaders and new problems     * jawaharlal nehru       * brahmin       * highly educated       * secular, modern, western       * appeals to the british       * basically the opposite of gandhi       * INC (indian national congress)

these forces both work together and achieve their goals

  • the muslim league   * emerges in 1906   * led by muhammad ali jinnah   * breaks of from the INC because they felt underrepresented   * still believed they needed to work together to achieve their goals

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