India in the British Period

It is not easy to comprehend that two hundred years of British rule could manage to destroy two thousand years years on Indian culture transforming it in its sociology, relationships, education, language, manners and conduct.  The only good part is that old India could survive in the villages through old traditions but mired in poverty, insecurity and arbitrary fatalistic hopefulness.  The indigenous people in the hills did rise up and fought out the British but the latter maneuvered with the help of the urban elite, who at times became partners in the exploitation.

The story of the British in India is a drama of human deceitfulness achieved in concert with land usurpers, money lenders and small time speculators employed by the East India Company.  How did a parasite moneyed class develop that could be used to torture and exploit the farmers is a larger story of understanding human character under intimidation and insecurity.  The Moghuls had started creating a zamindar, subedar and a hierarchical class, that found its culmination under the patronage of British.  The latter managed to change the education system in the country to foster this new class of privileged "officials" who looked down upon the old Indian values in many possible ways.

The Moghuls had instituted heavy punishment system to disrupt the society, but they did succeed in maintaining the economy and food-supply by bringing new land under cultivation.  Though there was religious bigotry, there was market supply of food grains as a part of the administration policy.  The East India Company had a tack of exporting food out of India to support their own homeland and support the large number of colonies they had created.  In addition to exporting the food out, they coerced the farmers to convert grain-producing fertile lands to the cultivation of cash crops like indigo for export.  When synthetic indigo became available in Europe, the Indian farmer was stuck with land that had no crop value neither any cash value.

The irresponsible food exports and lack of facilities to reach out to the interior caused back to back famines for several years in the 1860's  The British administration completely failed in reaching out to the famine stricken areas.  There was massive corruption and artificial market pricing by the food retailers.  The administration operated on bribery and patronage.  There was horrendous loss of lives, in some of the areas one third of the population perished. Cholera and dehydration became rampant.  It became obvious that the British was engaged to destroy India than give her governance as they had been claiming.

A little something good happened through this catastrophe in waking up a few individuals to think that the inertia of inaction among the middle class must be broken.  Such awakening happened in Bengal which also had taken the lead in instituting the British rule through their own participation in exploitation.  There was perception that the new education system was inadequate to fully exploit the student's intelligence and diligence.  The British had succeeded in denying any position of privilege to the new college educated Indians claiming that they were of inferior intellect.

The Islamic people succeeded to create their own educational system with a view to create new leaders in industry and to foster business.   An Indian physician helped establish a scientific institution to encourage research and free thinking.   More institutions followed around the country and many "clerks" of Indian origin did get respite by doing scientific work during the evenings after completing their daily office work.  Politically, the British allowed assembly of Indian National Congress to give an opportunity for the activists to present populist causes to the Crown.

The rest part of the story is the arrival of Gandhi and the strategy for self-rule.  We will take up the details in our seminar on November 30.  Please do join by registering at
https://www.indiadiscoverycenter.org